The Only Exception
by Rogue237
Summary: Rogue has spent many years building up a good mask to hide her pain when a newcomer comes in and threatens to undo all of her work. Some ROMY goodness.
1. Chapter 1

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on with this one so I thought I'd post a bit of it to see if anyone is interested. Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue was in a mood. After over a decade of living with a mutation that made touch impossible; that made love nothing more than a fantasy, Rogue had learned to put on an excellent poker face. 99% of the time, Rogue seemed tough, sassy, and bursting with effervescence, no matter how she was feeling inside. Today, however, was that other 1%.

It started first thing in the morning. Rogue was used to horrible dreams waking her from memories that weren't her own. Memories of the Holocaust, being experimented on, and a number of others that she didn't own that would strike fear into the most courageous of men. The dream that woke her this morning, however, was that of pleasure and comfort. Of being held by a lover; of feeling safe and secure. In many ways these rare dreams haunted her much more than the nightmares. She awoke with a warmth that was quickly replaced by a wrenching in her heart for experiences she would never have. She decided she didn't have the strength to put on her mask today.

Her mood only worsened during breakfast when Kitty, Jubilee, Lorna and Ali were abuzz about a new recruit that had just arrived that was "walking sex on a stick." Where Rogue would've normally put on a grin and feigned excitement, today she simply picked up her food and marched away from the table towards Emma, who was eating by herself. While most of the women didn't get along with the White Queen, Rogue never really had a problem with her. She was a grade-A, holier than thou bitch, but she never pretended to be anything else. And, most importantly, she knew when it was best to eat in silent company. The two exchanged "good mornings" and ate in silence until Rogue decided hitting something was in order.

She changed into her green and yellow bodysuit, yanked on her brown bomber jacket and gloves and headed down to the Danger Room, praying it wasn't occupied. Finding it empty, she set up a simulation and got to work. She wasn't 20 minutes into her workout when the program faded out. Rogue looked around, annoyed until her eyes fell on the doorway where Logan and who she figured must've been Mr. Sex on a Stick himself entered. Logan was the only one of her friends, other than Bobby, that she could stand while in one of her "moods," though he was usually the only one that respected her need for space on those days.

"Sorry, darlin'. I've got to show around Storm's new recruit this morning. Your moves are lookin' good though, kid," he said gruffly.

Her eyes lightened slightly at his words, and then narrowed as she looked over to the newcomer expectantly.

Remy thought for sure the girl was part of the simulation when he first entered the control room. Surely no one was that beautiful in real life. It was to his pleasant surprise that she remained when the rest of the environment washed away. He followed the short, gruff man with a skip in his step as they headed down to the where the girl stood, dumbfounded. Although he was already thoroughly impressed by the "talent" of the ladies at Xavier's so far, this one took the cake. He made a mental catalog of all the women he was determined to conquer during his time here as the Wolverine began to compliment her. She turned towards him afterwards, her pools of green becoming noticeable. With that, he turned on the charm and a 100-watt smile. "Oui, chére, yo' moves are trés bons."

Rogue stared, unimpressed. "Who the hell is this?" she asked Logan, and Remy was lost. A southern accent on top of those eyes and that body. It hardly seemed fair. He found her sassy attitude intriguing, but it didn't deter him one bit. Though it wasn't often that a woman didn't immediately swoon in his presence, resistance was always futile.

Logan smirked, amused at the idea of the Cajun's huge ego getting some much needed deflating. "Rogue, this is Storm's new recruit Gambit. Gambit, this is one of our star X-Men, Rogue."

Gambit gave a gallant bow and went to grab her hand as he introduced himself. "You can call me Remy, chére."

Rogue snatched her hand away before he could reel it in for a kiss, aghast that he would be so forward with someone he just met. "The pleasure is all yours, Swamp Rat, and keep your filthy Cajun hands to yourself!" she snapped.

Remy was thrown off his game, but his surprise only registered on his face for a split second. 'What is with this girl?' he thought, quickly searching for words to recover. "Désolé, cherie, I meant no harm," he explained, his smile never wavering.

'Stupid Cajun,' she thought with an intense anger that she knew was unwarranted. 'Stupid Cajun with his stupid sunglasses on inside and his stupid trench coat and his stupid, arrogant accent.' She was practically seething and she couldn't explain why. The man in front of her was clearly full of himself, but she really had no reason to be so furious within 5 minutes of meeting him. She blamed the mood.

Logan didn't need his powerful senses to smell the tension in the air. He decided to let Rogue get her aggression out on the Cajun in the safest way possible. "Well, Gumbo, as long as you're here, maybe you and Rogue should have a little sparrin' session? I can get a better read on your abilities."

Remy turned to Logan with a look of concern. "You want me t'fight a girl?" he asked, immediately regretting his choice of words as this Rogue seemed like the type to get offended for being called a girl. "I don' mean no offense, chére, I just don' want t'hurt you."

Eyes narrowed, Rogue turned to Logan. "No powers?" she asked.

"Whatever you want, kid," Logan agreed and began to step back.

Remy looked towards Logan, willing him to change his mind on this. If there was one thing he didn't like, it was hitting girls. He was still standing there, silently pleading, when Rogue's leg swept down, kicking his feet out from under him. He lay on his back and chuckled for a moment. He had to give her credit, it took a lot to catch him off guard, even if he wasn't aware that the fight had started. He was up on his feet as quickly as he was down.

"Ah'm so pleased to see ya laughin' when ya get your butt kicked, Swamp Rat. It should make this all the more pleasurable for ya," she commented as they began to circle one another.

"I can t'ink of a lot more pleasurable t'ings I'd like to do with you, my little River Rat," he smirked, catching her off guard. He could've easily taken her down in the moment of shock, but he kept circling, hoping to not have to lay a heavy hand on the beautiful woman who so obviously hadn't given into his charms yet.

She came at him again. He blocked her jabs without a terrible amount of effort, although she was one of the more skilled females he'd sparred with. It was at this point she realized she would have to start fighting a bit more outside of the box. Keeping up with the small jabs he was blocking too easily, she moved in closer. She then jumped up on him in the way a woman would that hadn't seen her lover in weeks. Using her momentum she wound around him, wrapping her legs around his neck and continued to swing around him, sending them both to the ground where he landed hard beneath her. She didn't have long to be pleased with herself, as before she knew it he had wriggled himself around and pinned her beneath him, straddling her waist.

She looked up at him and gasped. His smirk faltered as he realized that his sunglasses were laying a few feet from her head. He released her hands to grab them as he hurriedly apologized. "Désole, cherie. Didn' mean t'shock you."

He was stopped short by her grabbing his arm. He reluctantly looked down to find her smiling softly. "Ah think they're nice," she said softly, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Besides, ya don't really have to worry about lookin' different in a school full of mutants."

He sat there for a moment, touched by her words. No one had ever complimented his devil eyes before. They had always been the one insecurity he had, physically. He sat above her, his face moving slightly closer to hers, and he seriously contemplated kissing her. His face moved slowly closer to hers still as a look of fear formed across her brow. He leaned in closer still until their lips were only a whisper apart until he heard Logan clear his throat behind them.

"Thought you called no powers, Rogue," he said with a mixture of concern and amusement.

Rogue roughly pushed Remy off of her and stood. "Ah'm sorry… Ah… umm, Ah'd better go. See ya, Logan," she panicked and ran out of the Danger Room.

Remy sat, dumbfounded. First the girl looks like she's out for his blood for some unknown reason, then she tells him she likes his eyes, and then she turns into a scared teenager at the thought of a kiss. He was starting to wonder if mood swings were her mutant power. And that was another thing. Why did the Wolverine call her out on using her powers? He didn't notice any powers going on. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary other than the overwhelming urge to kiss her. Did she have a charm similar to his? Was she some kind of enchantress? He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew one thing. He was intrigued. He reluctantly stood up so that Wolverine could continue his tour. He toyed with the idea of asking him what this Rogue's powers were, but he suspected that he would tell him to ask her himself. Which was exactly what he intended to do.


	2. Chapter 2

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on with this one so I thought I'd post a bit of it to see if anyone is interested. Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue hurried through the mansion towards her room. What in the hell just happened? Her mind raced. She almost let a total stranger kiss her. What was that? Certainly having a bad day was no reason to be so reckless. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice Bobby walking right next to her.

"EARTH TO ROGUE!" he yelled jumping up and down next to her. He started shooting tiny ice picks out of his fingertips to her cheek.

"Owww, Bobby! OK, OK, I'm listening! What do you want?" she screamed, halting in her tracks.

Bobby looked at her thoughtfully, a frown forming on his face. "I forgot. But it was important."

"I get daggers to my face for 'you forget'?"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic! They weren't daggers," he rolled his eyes. Bobby was easily Rogue's best friend in the mansion. With Kitty, Lorna and Jubilee being younger, Piotr being well, really Russian, and Ali being pretty self-absorbed, Bobby was always the one she felt she could talk to. Their relationship was that of a brother and sister, although they would each claim to be like the elder sibling. Bobby was, above all, a class clown. The only thing he took seriously was Rogue's feelings. He knew how easy it was for her to get down in the dumps, so he would be sure to put on a show until she was out of it. There were a few people in the mansion that would swear that the two had feelings stronger than friendship, but their love always remained purely platonic.

Rogue finally got to her room and Bobby followed her in, not bothering to ask for permission. He flopped down carelessly onto her bed, placing his hands behind his head. "So, did you meet this new guy yet? Lorna is just beaming about how dreamy he is," Bobby asked, an annoyance in his tone.

"Awww, Bobby, are ya jealous? Why don't you just ask her out already?" Rogue yelled from the bathroom as she readied her bath.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Rogue. I don't even like her! I mean, I do, but the same way I like Kitty… or Jubilee. Not like _that_."

"Like _that_? What are ya, 16?" she joked. "Now, get out. Ah'm gonna take a bath."

"Sure you don't need a hand?" he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh Ah didn't know you were hankerin' for a coma," she joked bitterly as he got off the bed to leave.

He moved over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "Oh, come on, Rogue. There are plenty of guys that would risk a coma to scrub your back." He gave her a friendly swat on the butt and exited quickly before she could kill him. She smiled in spite of herself. Bobby did always know how to make her feel better.

* * *

Rogue tossed and turned restlessly in bed. The clock read 2:34 am. Just 3 minutes since the last time she checked. The rest of her day had gone by in a flash. At dinner, Storm introduced everyone to Gambit and Rogue did her best to eat and leave quickly in order to avoid running into the Cajun again. And now, here she was, laying awake thinking about him like some love-sick school girl. She didn't get it. He was arrogant, incorrigible, and everything she hated in a man. Most importantly, he oozed sex, which meant he was dangerous. Especially to her. But yet, in that flicker of insecurity when she saw his eyes she thought she saw something else in him. Something good.

She sighed and ripped the covers from her bed. She decided that if she was going to be up all night thinking, she'd prefer to do it on her favorite spot on the roof. It was a warm autumn night and she relished in the fact that the roof was private enough that she could go up in just her tank top and shorts that she was sleeping in.

She pulled open her balcony door and flew up to the roof above her room. She walked along the roof to the turn where her spot was only to find someone in her place. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the back of the Cajun's head. Certain that he hadn't seen her, she began to back up slowly.

"Couldn' sleep, chére?" he asked without turning towards her. He puffed lightly on his cigarette and stared off into the night sky. "Can't sneak up on a thief," he commented when she didn't answer, and she was almost certain that he was wearing that smirk again. "Come take a seat," he said, patting the empty spot next to him on the ledge.

Rogue, suddenly aware of how much skin she was showing hesitated. "Ah… shouldn't. Ah'll leave ya to your thoughts," she said, but made no move to leave.

With that, Remy turned towards her. His eyes glowed a fiercer red when he saw her. He drank in the view like a man who'd been deprived water for days. Her hair was swept up in a messy ponytail with a few ivory strands framing her face. The thin white tank top she wore hugged her braless curves while her snug shorts were cut so short that he was sure, if she turned around, that a peek of tush would be showing. He momentarily considered letting her leave just to see, but decided that some one on one time would be more beneficial. "S'il vous plaît, chére, I insist."

Rogue hesitantly moved towards him and sat herself at arm's length next to him on the ledge. Remy watched her questioningly, but made no comment about her odd behavior, worried that he may scare her off. She sat stiffly, avoiding his eyes.

"So, it sounds like I'm on your team, Rogue," he said, careful to use her name so that she'd feel more comfortable. "Blue team, under ol' One Eye. I guess Stormy didn' want moi on her team callin' her Stormy all de time," he said with a chuckle.

Rogue put on a giggling face, but inside she was in a panic. Why oh why did he have to be on her team. She practically lets him kiss her the first time they spar and now she was going to have to do it every day. "Welcome aboard, Cajun."

"Merci, petit," Remy answered, daring to scoot a bit closer to her, knowing that with her sitting on the cornered edge there was no where else for her to go. "Maybe you let Remy take you out sometime and you can fill 'im in on dis place."

Rogue noticed him moving closer and tried to stay calm. Clearly he didn't know about her powers or he wouldn't be moving in so close. She couldn't explain why, but she didn't want him to know about them. It was inevitable that, considering how close he was already trying to get, he would have to be told soon. "Well, Ah'm not really up to date on all the mansion gossip. You'd be better off askin' Jubilee and Kitty about that," she answered, pulling even closer to the corner she perched on.

Remy pressed closer still, sensing her nervousness. He was confused why a woman as beautiful as she would seem so clueless about flirting. He imagined in a place like this that she must get hit on quite a bit, but that didn't seem to be the case. "Aww, but chére, I'd much prefer your company," he said, inching closer and leaning his face in towards her until she could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck. He smelled of clove cigarettes, cinnamon sticks, and bourbon. Oh, and trouble, she reminded herself, he reeked of trouble.

Realizing how close he was getting, she leaned back until there was nowhere to go, so she pushed herself gently off of the roof and began to float by where she originally sat. Remy looked over to her, surprised. "Oh, so flyin's your power?" he asked, mostly to himself, still not understanding how that fit with Wolverine's comment earlier.

With his words, Rogue's face turned somber. "No," she replied, "not _my_ power. Ah should be gettin' back to bed now, Remy. G'night." She was gone before he could ask her to stay.


	3. Chapter 3

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on with this one so I thought I'd post a bit of it to see if anyone is interested. Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome**

Remy wasn't sure what to think when he woke up the next morning and his mind immediately went to Rogue. Remy was very cut and dry when it came to women. They were for wining, dining, and making love to. He loved women, he respected women, but he did not fall in love with women. 'Merde,' he thought. Did he just think the words 'fall in love'? He groaned loudly as he kicked off the covers and headed into his bathroom. "Get a hold o' yourself, LeBeau," he said to himself as he looked in the mirror.

For the record, he blamed Stormy for this. The southern belle had caught his attention right away and her kind words about his eyes and overall dislike for him only furthered his interest, true. However, she was only at the top of his list of many "X-Women to peruse" before he went to the dinner where Storm introduced him to the team and the students. Once there, he was determined to find Rogue and talk to her about her powers and what she did to him. He was certain that she must be bewitching him. Storm saw him searching out the crowd and inquired about who he was looking for. That's when he got dragged roughly out into the hallway for a scolding.

"Remy LeBeau! No! You will not be pursuing that girl!" she yelled at him.

"Stormy, ya wound me!" he exclaimed, eyes pleading with her. Right now the only thing that could make him want this girl more was someone telling him she was off limits.

"No, Remy! I am serious! Rogue is a wonderful girl, but she has had enough hardships. The last thing she needs is to be another notch in your belt of broken hearts."

With that she turned around and marched back into the cafeteria, leaving no room for argument. Remy's mind, from then on, was a mess. Why did this young, beautiful girl carry such a heavy sorrow in her eyes? Why did she now seem to be avoiding him? And why, oh why, was he being warned away from her like she was a perfect, forbidden trinket just waiting to be stolen by a cunning thief?

For the rest of the evening his mind was elsewhere. Even when the attractive blonde, Dazzler, who was practically throwing herself at him was trying to get him to show her his room, he just couldn't wrap his mind around it. He had politely taken a rain check before retiring to his room. He sat there for a few hours more before taking his thinking to the roof, only to find that his little southern minx had done the same.

And now, here he was. Confused and desperate to know more about her. Hell, anything about her. She had left so abruptly again the night before on the roof. Every one of their meetings seemed to end up with him causing that look of hurt in her eyes and her bailing out of the conversation faster than a freight train. He groaned again as he stepped into the shower. He just needed find out what got her to swoon like all the rest and get her to agree to go out on a date with him. That would surely get her out of his system.

He was certain… kind of.

* * *

Rogue took her lunch over to her usual table with Bobby, Piotr, Kitty, Jubilee, Lorna, and Ali. Bobby, Piotr, and Rogue were eating lunch before their team practice, while the other girls were taking a break from their college courses. All of a sudden, Kitty and Jubilee gasped identically and leaned in towards the table. "Oh my GOD! There he is! Has anyone talked to him yet? I heard he's barely spoken to anyone other than Storm," Kitty gushed.

Rogue simply averted her eyes and prayed that he didn't come over while Ali puffed up her chest. "Actually I talked with him last night at dinner. He's totally nice and down to Earth. You guys are just being silly school girls."

Jubilee scoffed, "Please, Ali. If you had a conversation with him odds are YOU were the only one doing any talking." Bobby laughed uproariously with an animated 'Burn!' before being silenced by Ali's icy glare.

"Oh my gosh, I think he's coming over here!" Lorna said as the entire table, sans Rogue looked over in a not-so-subtle fashion. "Ugh, Bobby, you're so obvious," she groaned. He threw his hands up in defeat at being singled out for no reason.

Remy trudged stoically up to the table of people gawking at him and put his plate down next to Rogue, who was on the end. They all continued to stare at him as Rogue did her best to look everywhere but. A striking girl with green hair broke the silence first. "Hi, I'm Lorna," she introduced. "And this is Ali, Kitty, Jubilee, Pete, Bobby, and Rogue," she said, eyeing her way around the table, pointing to each individual as she spoke.

"Oui. Rogue and I go way back," he smirked at her as her face filled up in a rosy color. He looked around to see everyone gaping at him as if it was the weirdest thing in the world for this attractive girl to have spoken to a guy like him.

Ali looked pointedly at him. "You know me too, remember? We met yesterday? I'm Dazzler."

"Right, of course. Désolé, petit, I didn' know your real name," he confessed, sure that she had only used her mutant name the night before as if it was a turn on.

Her eyes narrowed, enraged that she had to remind him who she was. Her anger further seethed when she realized that he was hardly looking at anyone but Rogue when he spoke. "So how do you know our Rogue?" she asked as innocently as she could muster.

"Well, I was here at de mansion no more den 20 minutes and dis belle fille's got me pinned under her on de floor. Not somethin' a homme can forget too quickly, non?" Remy joked, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Three things happened. Bobby promptly spit his mouthful of Coke all over Lorna, sitting across from him, who screeched and jumped up, running to the lavatory as Bobby trailed behind her spewing a string of apologies. The rest of the table gaped at him as if he'd just told them that Santa Clause wasn't real, and Rogue turned towards him with that heavy amount of pain in her eyes again. That pain that no one as beautiful as her should've known, and promptly slapped him across the face with a gloved hand. She was pushing back tears as she excused herself to go get ready for practice leaving behind a dumbfounded Remy LeBeau. He looked back at the remaining people at the table. "What'd I say?"

"Oh God," Jubilee sighed with an epiphany. "You don't know what her powers are, do you?"

Remy's brow knitted in confusion. "Yeah, she can fly. I don' see why you're all makin' such a grande deal 'bout dat. Seems like a lot o' folks in dis place would be able t' do dat."

Sympathy read on Piotr, Kitty, and Jubilee's face as Remy realized he must've seriously misjudged this situation. Dazzler still looked put out at not being remembered.

"No, Remy, Rogue can't touch. Her mutation is her skin," Jubilee explained.

Remy chuckled absently for a second, thinking that this was some kind of joke. Rogue could fly. He saw her. Jubilee saw his confusion and pressed on. "Rogue absorbs memories, personalities and powers through skin on skin contact. Which would be a totally sweet power except for the fact that she can't control it. She can't touch anyone without them ending up in a coma or at least knocked out for a bit. The reason she can fly and has super strength is because she absorbed a woman with those powers and held on a little too long. They became permanent and Carol is still in a coma. Oh God, but don't tell her I told you that last part," Jubilee rushed, cursing her big mouth.

Remy sat there, mouth agape. It all made sense now and he couldn't believe what an idiot he had been. I mean, the girl was dressed in jeans, a long sleeved shirt and gloves at lunch when it was 70 degrees out. She had a look of deathly fear both times he had gotten in her face and it had prompted her to run. It all made sense. The experience of pain beyond her years that resided in those emerald pools made perfect sense. He hung his head as his mind began to wrap around what it all meant. This woman in her mid-twenties had probably never even kissed anyone. She certainly could never kiss him. Remy groaned inwardly at the realization that instead of making him give up on asking her out, as he'd hoped, he now wanted her even more. She was the ultimate challenge. The unwinnable prize and, on top of that, he liked her. He hadn't had feelings for a girl since Belle, and now here he was pining away for some untouchable girl that most likely hated his guts.

He got up swiftly to go find Rogue and apologize and was half way across the cafeteria before his face, too swarmed with thoughts of what to say to Rogue to notice, met with Bobby's fist. The thief was taken aback but did not go down. He looked towards the man that hit him to see fire in his icy blue eyes. "You do NOT talk to her like that, you hear me? She doesn't need one more idiot thinking it's hilarious to make fun of the girl who lives in her own personal hell! If you ever even so much as look at her again, I will take you out myself!" he raged.

Remy rolled his eyes. He could take out Iceboy with one hand tied behind his back, but he didn't have time, and he certainly didn't have time to sit here and explain the misunderstanding. He had about 10 minutes before practice began and he had to get to Rogue to apologize beforehand. With that thought, he gave Bobby a mock salute and exited the cafeteria towards Rogue's room.


	4. Chapter 4

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Except for Vital - she's mine. Please review! Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue had finally changed into her uniform and pulled herself together when there was a knock at her door. Sure that it was Bobby coming to check on her, she jumped up and answered it, only to find herself face to face with the Cajun. With a look that could kill the boogie monster himself, she went to slam the door in his face. Remy pushed against the door and wiggled himself inside despite her best efforts.

"Désolé, cherie. S'il vous plaît, you have t'listen t'me," he pleaded with her as he winced, certain that she would smack him again.

Rogue's anger faltered as she saw the effortlessly smooth man before her crumbling into an unsure mess. Her shoulders dropped with a sigh. She walked over to her bed and sat, resting her back against her headboard. "You've got seven minutes," she said coolly, crossing her arms over her chest.

After great consideration, Remy sat on the edge of her bed and turned towards her. "Ya have to forgive me, as I didn' know what your powers were. I t'ought you were just a flyer," he said with a half chuckle that cut off abruptly when he saw that she wasn't amused. "I was just jokin', but it turns out I'm an imbécile, non? I'm sorry." His voice got soft and his apology was sincere.

"Oui, you are an imbécile," she joked back, accepting his apology. He winced.

"Chére, when we go on our date, we gon' have t'work on dat French accent."

Rogue's calm faded back into anger. "Did ya not listen to a word ya just said, Swamp Rat? Ya know about my powers now. There ain't gonna be a date!"

"Seems to me dat Xavier's severely lacks any hommes that are inventive as moi, Roguey. Don' you worry, I'll t'ink of some way around your… particular situation by then," he said smugly.

Rogue seethed as she jumped off her bed. "You stupid, arrogant Swamp Rat! It'd serve ya right to put your self-absorbed carcass in a coma, but Ah wouldn't want your smutty thoughts runnin' around in my head!" she screamed, scooping up her jacket and heading for the door to go down to the danger room.

Gambit collapsed back onto her bed in a heap and rolled his eyes. "Good one, homme. You'll wear her down any minute now."

* * *

Storm's Gold Team consisted of Iceman, Colossus, Psylocke, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler. Cyclops' Blue Team consisted of Wolverine, Emma Frost, Angel, Rogue and now Gambit. Gambit immediately went to Rogue when he got to the Danger Room to try apologize again, granted this time would be less sincere and more covering his own butt. He was promptly ignored by Rogue and given a death glare by Bobby.

They split into their teams and Gambit ended up next to Wolverine. "I dunno what you did Gumbo, but it looks like you got yourself in pretty deep for your second day here," Wolverine smirked at him, amused. Remy rolled his eyes but couldn't help but match his smile. He imagined that the Wolverine caused a lot of trouble when he first got to the mansion as well. Especially with the way he and Scott argued and how he looked at Scott's wife.

Scott stepped up in between the teams to announce the practice. "Today we're going to be focusing on one-on-one fights. I'll be taking Storm. Wolverine, you've got Psylocke. Gambit, take Iceman. Angel, take Nightcrawler. Rogue, you've got Colossus, and Emma, take Marvel Girl."

"Scott, for the last time, it's just Jean now," Jean snapped huffily. Wolverine, Gambit and Bobby muffled their snickers as Scott turned bright red.

"Um, right. Well, Jean, you've got Emma. Anyway, the purpose of this practice is to take out your competitor, however, if you see a teammate in trouble and can lend a helping hand, do it. We're still a team first." Scott stepped back in line and the fighting began.

Most of the teams were fairly evenly matched. Storm was beginning to get the upper hand on Cyclops, as was Emma on Jean, but Psylocke and Wolverine and Rogue and Colossus stayed in a steady fight. Angel was deadlocked with Nightcrawler in the air. Gambit, on the other hand, was easily handling Iceman. In turn, Iceman was getting more and more pissed off and making more and more mistakes. Finally Bobby was down and out and Gambit was glancing at his teammates to see who needed help.

Storm was making good headway against Cyclops, Angel and Nightcrawler were too high up, and Wolverine and Emma looked to be enjoying their matches too much for him to intervene. His eyes then fell on Rogue and Colossus. Colossus was picking up a beach ball-sized boulder provided by the Danger Room simulation and about to throw it at a fallen Rogue, who was unaware as she was trying to get up from a previous blow. Gambit panicked and ran towards them. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to charge a card and throw it to destroy the boulder before it hit her, he did the first thing that came to mind and dove towards her to push her out of the way, putting himself right into the boulder's path. The rock hit him square in the ribs and he cried out as he hit the ground hard.

Rogue scrambled up, shocked. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, SWAMP RAT?" she screamed as she ran over to his crumpled body and he moaned a little more than necessary for sympathy.

"Is dat anyway t'talk to your knight in shinin' armor, petit? How 'bout a 'Merci for savin' my life, Remy,'" he wheezed, trying to catch the breath that was knocked out of him.

Rogue looked down at him, trying to hide a smirk. "My super strength makes me invulnerable, ya dumbass. That boulder wouldn't have hurt me."

"Merde," Remy sighed. He couldn't even save this girl's life correctly. Of course, as he realized she had pulled his head in her lap and was now stroking his hair with a gloved hand, his pain all seemed worth it. 'Ugh, pull it together you pansy,' he thought to himself.

Colossus walked up to the two with Bobby laid out in his arms. "Bobby, he has de concussion. I take him and you help Remy, da?" he asked in a thick Russian accent.

"Yeah, Pete, Ah'm right behind ya," she said as she picked Remy up, bridal style, in her arms.

"Ya know dis does nothin' for my pride, chére," Remy muttered.

"Lucky for you, you've got that in spades, huh Swamp Rat?"

"De more you call Remy a Swamp Rat, de more he's starting t' t'ink you're sayin' it out of love," he snickered.

Rogue rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Ah'd drop ya if ya didn't injure yourself tryin' to save me, Cajun!"

Remy's smile widened, only to disappear when he saw where they were going. He began to wiggle in her arms only to stop at the harsh pain in his ribs. "Non, chére, I t'ink I'm fine. Just a bruise, oui? We don' need to go in here."

"Awwww, is the big bad Cajun afraid of the doctor?"

"Remy's not afraid, petit. Remy just doesn't need to go," he said, eyes pleading.

"Ah'm startin' to notice that you only talk in third person when you're bein' extra annoyin'," she grumbled, dropping him on to a lab table.

A large, furry blue man came into the room followed quickly by a young blonde woman in a lab coat. "Oh my stars and garters! Looks like it's been quite a productive practice today," Dr. Hank McCoy exclaimed as he saw the two mutants on his tables. "I'd like you all to meet my new lab assistant Tamara Patterson, alias Vital. Tamara, if you please."

Tamara walked over to the first table that held Bobby and placed her hand to his forehead. Her blue eyes glazed over and twitched slightly before closing as she spoke. "Heart rate: 64 bpm. Blood pressure: 118 over 79. Injuries: Minor concussion. Full recovery time: One week."

Her eyes snapped back to vibrant and her smile reappeared as she let go of Bobby's head. She walked over to Remy next, who was nervously twitching on his table as Rogue held him down. "Non, s'il vous plait, Remy don' normally say dis to a pretty petit such as yourself, but don' touch me!" he cried looking pleadingly into Rogue's eyes, praying she would let him up.

"This won't hurt, I promise," Tamara said in a voice that was much warmer than the one that spat out medical jargon seconds ago.

"Non!" Remy cried and began to struggle against Rogue even harder.

"Remy, really, you're bein' ridiculous!" Rogue cried. "Will ya please just calm down and let her check ya out. We have to make sure you're alright."

"Please, Roguey, don' make me. I was just tryin' keep you from gettin' hurt, not end up on de operating table."

"You are so dramatic. You're not on the operatin' table, Cajun. Now just stop strugglin', will ya?"

"Non."

"Do it."

"Non."

"Please, Remy," she said as sweetly as possible.

He hesitated before… "Non." At her sigh of frustration he looked at her with a grin. "OK, chére, I'll let Mademoiselle Needle Sticker do her t'ing if you do somethin' for me."

"Umm, I don't have any needles," Tamara explained, certain that the two weren't listening to her.

"What exactly did ya have in mind, Swamp Rat? And keep it PG or Ah'll pop ya into next week!"

"Go out with moi Saturday night," he answered smugly.

"Are ya havin' trouble readin' the fine print, Remy? Ya can't touch me. This is where you turn and run the other way," she said, a hint of bitterness rising in her voice.

"Rogue," he said softly and grabbed her gloved hand in his. "I know about de fine print, d'accord? Just go out wit' me. Une meal. A fille's got to eat."

Rogue looked nervously between Remy and the growing ever-more-impatient Tamara. "Fine. One date. But ya best stay out of my personal space."

"Bien!" he exclaimed. "Okay, ma nourrice, you probably want moi wit' my shirt off, non?" (French: my nurse)

Tamara stopped in her tracks and gave him an amused look. "Watch the mouth or I'll give your girlfriend over here a full report on all of your bodily stats," she shot back with a grin.

Remy raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her humor. "I assure you, petit, my bodily stats are nothing less den impressionnant." (French: impressive)

Tamara slapped her hand on his forehead with a little more force then necessary and stifled a giggle as he flung back onto the table. Her eyes once again went twitchy and clouded over as she spoke in a mechanical tone. "Heart rate: 88 bpm. Note: Resting heart rate for said mutant is considered normal between 75 and 95 bpm. Blood pressure: 115 over 77. Injuries: 4th left rib, broken. 5th and 6th left ribs, bruised. Normal full recovery time: Three weeks. Full recovery time for said mutant: 10 days." She shook slightly as she removed her hand from his forehead and glanced down at him. "You're right by the way," she said with a wink, "not bad." She broke into giggles when the thief's face reddened and turned back to her work.

Beast began walking over to where Remy and Rogue were after giving Bobby the go ahead to leave the lab and take it easy for a few days. Bobby left, but not before hugging Rogue and asking if she was alright to be left alone with "that jerk." Rogue assured him she was fine, but couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the two's tension. "What in the world is that all about?" she asked Remy.

"Your boyfriend don' like me too much, Roguey."

"Bobby is NOT my boyfriend," she said hurriedly as Beast arrived to their area.

"Fascinating! Mr. LeBeau, were you aware that you heal faster than normal? Certainly not Wolverine fast, but impressive nonetheless! I would love to run some tests –" Beast was cut off by Remy hopping up from the table with a wince.

"Remy don' do tests, Monsieur Bleu, but he t'anks you for de hospitality," Remy said, backing slowly out of the med lab.

"Curious," Beast said, more to himself than anyone else, and turned to Rogue. "Make sure that boyfriend of yours takes it easy, Rogue. And have him come see me if the pain gets any worse."

"He's NOT mah boyfriend!" Rogue exclaimed again, her accent thickening with anger. With that, she stomped out of the med lab Twilight Zone where Miss Untouchable had not one, but two boyfriends and back into the real world where, unfortunately she had a very real date on Saturday, but not before she heard Beast's parting words.

"Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, spreads his light wings and in a moment flies. Alexander Pope," he quoted with a hearty laugh and set back to work.


	5. Chapter 5

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue did her best to avoid Remy for the next few days, hoping that he would forget about their upcoming date. She thought she was doing a good job until she came out of her room Saturday morning to find a note taped to her door that read: _Bonjour, cherie. I will meet you in the foyer for our date at 8pm. Make sure you dress nice and get ready for the best date of your life. XOXO Swamp Rat_

She rolled her eyes when she realized her insult had become a pet name to him and became even more annoyed when she found that Kitty and Jubilee had already been to her room, saw the note, went to the mall, and bought her a new outfit. They bombarded their way into her room around noon, thrusting bags into her arms.

"Rogue! This is, like, a huge deal. What is this, like, your first date ever?" Kitty asked before catching herself.

"Smooth, Kit," Jubilee continued. "Anyway, we knew that you didn't have a whole lot of date clothes and we knew that you wouldn't come with us to the mall, so we just went and got you an outfit ourselves! Look!"

Rogue hesitantly took the bags, nightmarish thoughts of racy dresses and skanky stripper shoes flying through her mind. She was pleasantly surprised to find a long sleeved green mini dress, soft black gloves, black lace tights, and black over the knee high heeled boots. It was still nicer and riskier than anything she owned, but it covered everything she needed covered. Her eyes welled with tears as she turned to her friends. "You guys! It's… it's… not totally slutty!" she cried.

Jubilee went to hug her and stopped mid-stride, remembering who she was talking to. "Yeah, of course! I mean, we're glad you like it," she said awkwardly. She wished she could just reach out and hug her friend, but she knew Rogue would coil away. The only people Rogue felt comfortable getting reasonably close to were Bobby and Logan, and that's because they forced themselves into her space as much as possible. She reached out and gave the girl's gloved hand a squeeze and Rogue smiled. It was a start.

* * *

At 7:30 Rogue was dressed and applying make up at her mirror when her door opened. Only one person walked in without knocking. Without looking up she greeted, "Hey, Bobby."

"You're not seriously going through with this, are you?"

She gave a sigh and pulled her face from the mirror. "Yes, Ah promised," she answered him nonchalantly.

"Rogue, this guy is the biggest dick on the planet!" She smiled to herself thinking about what innuendo Remy would have said to that. "Why are you wasting your time?"

"Robert Drake, if Ah didn't know any better, Ah'd think you were jealous," she joked.

"I'm not jealous! I like Lorna!"

"I knew it!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, dammit, Rogue, you tricked me!" Bobby gave a frustrated grunt from the doorway. "Fine, go on your stupid date. Just expect an 'I told you so' when he leaves you at the restaurant because some busty skank walked by giving him the eye." With that, Bobby huffed grumpily out the door.

Rogue pondered his words for a bit after he left, but they didn't upset her like she thought they would. In fact, a big part of her hoped that did happen. It would prove what she already knew – that her dating Remy LeBeau was a laughable situation at best. Here's this hot man that oozes sex and probably has more notches on his belt than Tiger Woods taking out a girl who can't even hold hands without gloves. He had been here a week and she'd be willing to bet it'd been the longest he'd gone without taking a girl home, assuming he wasn't sneaking them in or sneaking himself out at night with no one's knowledge. No, Remy wouldn't last long. And when he broke like all the rest, she would feel safe again. Comfortable knowing that no one wanted to touch her. What a sick sense of contentment.

She finished up her make up and swept her hair up in a messy bun, leaving a few curly vanilla strands framing her face. She shut off her light and grabbed her purse as the clock hit 7:59 as she headed down to the foyer. Dead woman walking.

* * *

Remy walked into his room to get ready for his date only to find himself face to face with a very angry African goddess. "Remy LeBeau, you promised me –"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Stormy! I didn' promise a t'ing. You tol' me to stay away from de belle fille, et I respectfully disagreed," he said with a full smile.

"Remy, I am serious. This is not a normal girl. You can not just toy with her emotions like –"

"Stormy! For God's sakes, y'all act like the femme is made o' glass! Did ya ever stop t' t'ink dat maybe she wants to be treated like a regular fille? Rogue's 25 years old and every time someone mentions dat I asked her out dey look at moi like I've just taken advantage of a teenager or somethin'. De only ones treatin' her like a human bein' are Monsieur Claws and Iceboy," Remy vented. He didn't realize how much it bothered him until it all came tumbling out of his mouth. The way everyone was so careful not to touch Rogue, or not to mention touch around Rogue, or not to treat her like the attractive woman she was, capable of being wanted. To him, it was no wonder she was so sensitive about the subject. If people got in her space a little more, she may realize that she could have different kinds of touch.

Ororo was taken aback by his blow up. In all of this she had never considered that Remy may actually like the girl and care about her feelings. She just figured he was being Remy. Never backing down from a challenge and wanting the unattainable. "I am sorry, Remy," she said quietly. "I did not realize you liked her so much."

"I don'," he replied too quickly. "I mean, I like her alright, Stormy, but I barely know her. I haven' even taken her out yet, so how could I like her 'so much?' I just noticed dat people act scared of her, Stormy, dat don' mean I'm in love or nothin'."

Ororo bit her bottom lip to keep from snickering. It wasn't often that Remy was thrown off his game. Of course, he wasn't used to having feelings other than lust for a girl either. She quickly wished him luck on his date and left, lest he blather himself into a stupor.

Remy stared at the closed door for a few minutes after Ororo left. What was the deal with this girl? He had just rambled. RAMBLED! Remy LeBeau does not ramble. He is smooth, and all the ladies melt at his feet. All of the ladies except for Rogue, apparently. She was the first woman he ever met that didn't openly sigh and get dreamy eyed when he looked her way. That must be why he felt so off his game. Yes, that was it. It wasn't his fault he was rambling. It was because the people around her had turned her into an ice queen when it came to handsome gentlemen such as himself. Yes, that was definitely it. And all he had to do was put in a little extra effort to soothe her man-hating ways and she would fall at his feet and he could move on through his list of lovely X-women just waiting to be had by him. Yes, that was absolutely it. Feeling less relieved than he'd hoped, he cleaned himself up and rushed out to pick up his date.

* * *

Rogue stood in the foyer, glancing at the clock on the wall once more. 8:12. She let out a sigh and considered waiting 5 more minutes. She was the one against this date after all, but it didn't mean being stood up felt good. She should've known better. The fact that she would ever date or have a seemingly normal relationship was a joke. A joke that was apparently on her. She gave another exasperated sigh before turning to head up the stairs, careful to keep the tears at bay until she was in the solace of her room. She reached the top of the stairs only to slam roughly into a frazzled Cajun. Her body hit his hard and she flung back down towards the stairs on shaky heels. She braced herself for the tumble when she realized she wasn't moving. Two strong hands held her arms and she risked opening her eyes. Remy slowly pulled her back up with a horrified look.

"Mon Deiu, chére! Je suis tellement désolé!" (French: My God, dear! I'm so sorry)

"Remy?" she asked in a breathless whisper that did tingly things to his naughty places. Still holding her upper arms, he pulled her closer to his face and on to steady ground. She absent-mindedly licked her lips and he stifled a groan. He pulled her closer still, their faces only inches apart.

"Oui, chére?" he asked quietly after a long pause of staring into her green orbs.

"Ya can let go of me now."

Remy cleared his throat and dropped his hands from her quickly, taking a step back. He noticed the tears in her eyes and figured the collision shook her up. "You OK, Roguey? I didn' hurt ya none, did I?"

"No, Ah'm fine, Remy. Ah just… thought ya weren't comin'," she said, barely in a whisper.

He realized then that those weren't tears of physical pain, but of years and years of relationship pain. He winced at the thought of him causing that look on her face, once again wondering why this girl had the effect on him that she did. "'m sorry 'bout dat. Stormy dropped by for a chat and I ran a little behind schedule," he explained grabbing her gloved hand and holding tighter when she instinctively tried to tug it away. "Ya look tres belle, dis evening, chére." A trademark lopsided smirk reached his lips as he felt himself slip back into his smooth self. "Ya ready t'go?"

She wrenched her hand from his and placed her hands on her hips. "Sure thing, swamp rat, Ah've only been waiting an hour," she said, but couldn't help a small smile forming on her face as well.


	6. Chapter 6

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue tightened her hold on Remy as he whipped his bike around another curve. They had been driving for 20 minutes which, gauging by how fast Remy was driving, must've taken them a ways away from the Institute. Rogue was a nervous wreck. Did they have to take the bike? She loved bikes, but she was wearing a dress for goodness sakes! She thanked her lucky stars she had decided to wear her hair up. They turned into an empty park before Remy came to a halt.

He jumped off and grabbed her hand to help her off the bike before leading her to a small beachfront lake. About a quarter of a mile down they came to a blanket set by a roaring bondfire with a basket of food and champagne chilling in a bucket of ice. Two beach chairs sat in front of the fire on either side of the basket.

Rogue stopped in her tracks, stunned. "What? …when on Earth did you do all this? And how is this fire still goin'?"

"Chére, Remy has many connections. Don' you worry yo' jolie petit tête 'bout it," he said with a gallant bow. (French: pretty little head)

Rogue smiled despite herself and made her way to her chair, followed closely by Remy. "Now, chére, I take ya for more of a down to Earth gal than one searching fo' somethin' too fancy."

"Darn straight, Cajun. Ya wanna go out for caviar, ya'd better take Emma," she said matter-of-factly.

"I t'ought so. So," he said opening the basket, "wieners over an open fire it is. I brought all de fixins."

"Oh Remy LeBeau, ya sure do know how to sweep a gal off her feet," she joked, secretly happy they weren't going to a stuffy restaurant filled with way too many touchable people.

"Don' you forget it, Roguey. But for a touch o' class, I also brought my chére a bottle of Champagne, France's finest," he said, popping the bottle and pouring two glasses.

"Champagne and hot dogs. Breakfast of champions," Rogue smirked, unable to give the Cajun credit.

"Don' forget the smores for dessert."

Her face brightened. "Smores? OK, maybe you're not so bad after all."

Remy dramatically grabbed his chest and slumped back into his chair, feigning a heart attack. "It's a Christmas miracle in September!"

"Shut up," she said, grinning, as she threw an uncooked hot dog at him.

The evening went by in light conversation and comfortable silences accompanied by the soft music playing from a small stereo. By the time they made smores, Rogue had kicked her boots off and dug her lace-covered toes in the sand. On her third glass of champagne, she was starting to feel light and giggly. She was telling herself that it was the champagne, and not the gorgeous man sitting next to her. She hardly noticed that, at some point throughout the evening, Remy had managed to move the basket and push his chair up next to hers.

She took in a quick breath every time his arm accidentally brushed up against hers, sending a chill down her spine. It was a this point that she realized, lost in her own thoughts, that she wasn't paying attention to what the Cajun thief was talking about. He looked at her expectantly, his face all of a sudden too close to hers. Why was he always so close? "Roguey?" he asked, his voice deepening from melted butter to hot, sticky syrup. She breathed in that aroma of his again, mouth slacked, staring at him in what she could only assume looked like a carp out of water. This was not good, she reminded herself for the 20th time that evening.

Remy looked at Rogue, completely lost as to what he had been talking about. She was staring at him, soft, pink lips slightly parted. The fire reflected off of her jade eyes and the lake air played at her few, loose strands, making her look impossibly sexy. His stomach dropped. He knew that if she didn't stop looking at him like that, he was going to kiss her. Then he'd probably pass out, stranding them at the beach for God knows how long and probably causing her to hate him. He silently pleaded with her to look away, but she continued to stare into him. Remy felt as if his soul was exposed to her, an uncomfortable feeling for one with a past like his. That's when it hit him. If he did go in for a kiss, would she know all of the bad things he'd done in his life? He wasn't sure if he could handle her looking at him the way he looked at himself in the mirror every morning. With that, he cleared his throat and stood up with a start, reaching a purposely-gloved hand down to Rogue. "Dance, chére?"

Snapping out of her trance, Rogue wearily took his hand and rose out of her chair. She placed her hands on his shoulders, leaving about a foot of space between their bodies. Remy gave her a sad smile. "I know I can' touch yo' skin, Roguey. You don' have t'be so overly cautious, d'accord?" He pulled her closer to him slowly, judging her reaction. She moved hesitantly, but allowed him to pull her body in to snugly fit his shape.

She couldn't deny that she fit in his arms perfectly, as if his body had been molded just for hers. She sighed and leaned into him further, desperately trying not to think of how wonderful it would be if this could last. If touch was an option. If she could pretend for just one second that this pairing could continue. She was quickly reminded why she didn't allow herself to date – it gave false hope. She unconsciously sighed again.

"Ya OK? I didn' mean t'force you in t'dancing," Remy said, noticing the second dramatic sigh in under a minute. Rogue stepped back from him and gave him a weak smile. He noticed that the heavy hurt had returned to her eyes, although she was trying to hide it. He had hoped that it wouldn't show up.

"No, it's not that. Ah've had a lovely time, Remy, despite what Ah initially thought of ya," she explained. "Ah'm just sad it has to end."

Remy furrowed his eyebrows at her. Why was she so sad? That sounded like the best news he'd heard all week. "I'm so glad you enjoyed yo'self, chére. I'll even take you out t' a real restaurant next weekend. Den you'll really be impressed," he said with a smirk.

Rogue looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "We're not goin' out on another date, Remy. One date. That's what ya said."

"Oui, but if you enjoyed yo'self, why wouldn' we go out again?"

"Remy, how many times do Ah have to tell ya? Ah can't touch! It's dangerous for me to get close to somebody. We've been through this before!" she raised her voice, tears welling in her eyes. She flat out refused to cry in front of him. She would not show weakness. Why was he pushing this? Him, of all the men in the world, who needed touch, who thrived on it. Why couldn't he just let this go?

Remy reached out and grabbed her arms, much like he did when he caught her earlier, as she instinctively backed away from him. He could practically see the wall going back up around her. He brought her in close, keeping his grip soft but firm until she was inches from his very serious face, unable to escape. "Dangerous fo' who, chére?" he asked her quietly, eyes never leaving hers.

She stared back at him defeated. She had never known a man to push her this hard. Usually the word 'untouchable' did the job for her. "You, Remy," she said half-heartedly. "It's dangerous for you." She finally broke eye contact with him and looked away. "Ah could kill ya."

He put a gloved hand under her chin and brought her eyes to meet his. "My risk, my choice, Roguey." Caught up in the moment, he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. By the time Rogue had recovered from her initial shock enough to give him full access to her mouth, he was already dizzy. Seconds later he broke away from her with a lopsided grin, just before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

* * *

_She looked for someone frantically throughout the cafeteria with no luck before being berated by an angry Storm._

_She… no, _he_ was found on the roof by her. That was the second time he was caught off guard by her beauty and by the feelings that she stirred in him. He wondered why she wouldn't respond to him. Women always responded to him._

_He woke up with thoughts of her. It scared him. He thought of her pinned beneath him as he relieved his frustrations in the shower._

_He sees the boulder rushing towards her and panics, throwing himself in front of the rock. This move surprises even himself._

_He worries for days. It's obvious that she's avoiding him. Would she really go through all of this trouble just to skip out on a date with him? Why did she dislike him so much when she barely knew him? Why wouldn't she let him know her? Why did he want to so badly?_

_He bumped roughly into her. His arms reached out to catch her before his mind even registered what was happening. He pulled her up to have his breath taken away. She was the most belle ange all done up. Lips parted and breathless, he imagined what she would look like in the throes of ecstasy. His heart aches that he may never know that look. _(French: angel)

_

* * *

_

Remy slowly opened his eyes to see a frazzled Rogue standing over him. He stood up slowly, a mild headache hitting his temples. "Ca en valait la peine," he muttered with a groan, only to be hit squarely on the chest by a Southern fist.

"No, it was NOT absolutely worth it, ya damn fool! What is wrong with you? Ya could've gotten hurt!" she cried.

"Chére, you speak Français?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, fluently despite the fact that ya like to make fun of my accent. Now stop changin' the subject, ya sneaky Swamp Rat!"

"Désolé, Roguey, I just couldn' seem t'help myself," he said with a sly grin.

"Well luckily ya were only out for a few minutes. Ya seem to last longer than most people."

"Dat's what de ladies t-"

"Shut it, Cajun."

"D'accord." Rogue stared at him with a look he couldn't decipher. She bit her bottom lip and looked at him with wide, expressive eyes. Mon Dieu, he thought. She saw something. She definitely saw something. He cringed as his mind catalogued through all of the unsavory things he had done in his past. Things he couldn't really explain and things he certainly didn't feel like discussing with her. Not now. Okay, okay, maybe not ever. Was it the Morlock massacre? Was it Genny? Maybe Belle or that bâtard Julian? She continued to look at him until he felt like he was suffocating. "What is it? What did you see? Why aren' you sayin' nothin'?" he asked in a rush.

She smiled shyly looked away. "Ah guess ya kinda like me, huh?"

He breathed a sigh of relief and composed himself back to a smirk. "I guess yo' alright, chére." How fast she punched him in the gut took him by surprise and he was only able to partially block it. He let out a harsh breath, but still managed to chuckle at her, unsurprised at her quick temper. "So, y' gonna let moi take you out again?"

"Ah'll think about it," she said hard-headedly and turned away to walk towards the parking lot.

Remy smirked wider and called after her. "It's OK, Rogue. I'll pack up the stuff!"


	7. Chapter 7

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Rogue slept in the next day, and was met with a barrage of visitors once she woke. First was Kitty, Jubilee and Lorna asking for all the details, of which she only gave a few. Secondly was Logan who, in as little words as possible, asked if she needed him to murder anyone this morning, to which she politely declined. Thirdly was Bobby, checking to see if she'd been left at a restaurant like he predicted. Just as Bobby was about to leave, Remy was strolling to her door, a bouquet of Calla Lilies in hand. She tried to hide her smile at the fact that he didn't bring roses. She hated roses.

Bobby stopped in his tracks, just inside the room, all of a sudden not feeling like leaving anymore. Remy knocked in the empty doorframe. "Bonjour moi belle cherie, I hope yo' doin' wonderful this morning," Remy said, handing her the flowers and completely ignoring the fuming blonde male to his right.

"Thanks, Remy, ya didn't have to…"

"Nonsense! A belle fille like yo'self deserves flowers everyday," he laid it on thick, grabbing her knuckles in for a gentle kiss. "I was just wonderin' if you've had time t'consider gracin' me wit' yo' presence next weekend."

Bobby rolled his eyes dramatically. "Give me a break, Rogue, you are NOT going out with him again!"

"Don' believe I was talkin' t'yo', Iceboy!" Remy said, not breaking his eye contact with Rogue.

"Well I'm talking to you, you walking STD!" Bobby yelled. At this point, Remy turned and headed straight for the man with fire in his eyes, when a slender hand against his chest stopped him.

"Stop it! Both of ya! Ya'll are actin' completely ridiculous! Remy, Bobby is my best friend. If ya wanna hang out with me, you're gonna have to get along with him," she said and turned to Bobby just in time to catch his smug grin. "And _you_," she said, pointing a finger into his chest. "Ah'm 25 years old, Bobby, and someone is finally actin' like Ah'm worth wantin' for more than friendship. Ah'll date him if Ah want to. It's none of your business!" Now it was time for Remy to give him a smirk. "Now both of ya get the hell outta my room!"

Exchanging glares, the two left, Bobby leading the way. As Remy walked through the door, he turned back at the last moment. "So was dat a 'oui' fo' Saturday, chére?" Rogue growled angrily and slammed the door in his face.

* * *

Remy didn't take Rogue's anger to heart. If he had learned anything about her, it was that she put up a tough front, but inside, she was vulnerable just like every other woman. He decided that, for the next few days, he would be adamant about seducing her into liking him. OK, into being able to stand him.

At dinner, hours after the door had slammed in his face, he walked into the cafeteria. Most of the crowd had cleared from dinner, with a few stragglers still finishing up their meals at various tables and one delectable southern belle just fixing a plate. He had guessed that she would try to avoid the crowd after their date and the scene from earlier. Rogue was not a girl that wanted to be at the center of the latest gossip and she didn't have the patience to answer questions. He snuck up behind her without a sound and she scooped a pile of macaroni and cheese onto her plate, whispering huskily in her ear, "hungry, chére?" He pressed he body flush against her back as she jumped, but he didn't miss the shudder that ran down her spine in the process.

"What in tarnation? Swamp Rat! Ya scared me half to death!" she cried, one hand over her heart and one with a death grip on her plate. She turned towards him to see that he had not moved back an inch, still pressed up close to her. He was always so close. "Ya gonna back up, Remy, or were ya hopin' for a nap?" she asked, her free hand dropping down to her cocked hip.

He let out a soft moan before looking her over as obviously as possible. "Yo' tres belle when yo' angry." He let a hand trail down her arm until it came to stop over her covered hand that rested on her jutted-out hip. He stared deeply into her eyes, refusing to turn away as her face grew redder. She finally forfeited the game chicken, pushing him away from her. His serious look broke into a sloppy grin at the reaction.

Rogue felt immediately angry at the sight of his smirk. Angry at the ease in which he affected her. After ten years of building up the best walls, this sneaky thief was trying to slip in at every turn. Inexplicably fuming, she snatched up a fork and took her half-filled plate passed the confused Cajun and up towards her room.

Remy looked after her as she walked away, bewildered and how this had gone from flirty to disastrous so quickly. He looked over to see Logan chuckling at him and Ororo giving him a look of concern. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed a plate for himself, mumbling, "I don' understand dis woman."

* * *

On Monday, Remy woke up with new resolve. He figured he would just save his belle fille's life again in practice, and *boom*, back to date-town. Instead, when he dove gallantly to block Colossus' blow, Rogue simply stepped over his moaning body to continue her fight. On Tuesday, he bought enough s'mores ingredients for the entire school for dessert after dinner, just because she seemed to like them so much on their date. She went to her room without dessert. On Wednesday, he flirted with Dazzler every time she walked by, only to be promptly ignored. By Thursday, he was fed up and taking out his anger on the danger room.

He threw three blazing cards into the last robot's face, landing hunched over on the floor. "Damned girl, I didn' even do anythin' wrong fo' once!" he yelled to himself.

"Sure ya did, kid," an uninvited voice answered him. He turned to see the Wolverine looking like he was coming in for a session as well.

"What did I do, homme? I just showed her a good time et brought her flowers. Hate to see how she treats de men dat ain't gentlemen!"

"Ya got to her," Logan explained. "That girl's lived her whole life with everyone at arm's length and here you come barrelin' through the caution tape."

Remy paused for a moment. That hairy bastard had a point. All this time he thought that if he proved that he wasn't afraid of her that she'd end up falling at his feet. He didn't count on the fact that even when she did finally like him, he'd still have to drag her into spending time with him kicking and screaming. "Touché, Monsieur Claws. What do I do t'get her to talk to me?"

"I think you know what you have to do, Gumbo."

Remy's eyes widened. "Non, non, non. I can't! Remy prefers to work alone."

Logan rolled his eyes. "That's all well and good, Cajun, but if you want her to talk to ya, then you're gonna have to place nice. He's been her best friend since she came her. One of the only people other than me, and you apparently, that ain't afraid to touch her. That girl's got defense mechanisms built up that Apocalypse couldn't break down. You're gonna need some help."

Remy needed some time to think about this. With a groan, he brushed past Logan with a mumbled goodbye and went up to his room. Logan chuckled lightly. Like it or not, that Cajun was growing on him.

* * *

Once in his room, Remy toppled gracefully onto his back, naturally falling into what looked like a model's pose. Brows knitted, he began to wonder how in the hell he ended up in this situation. On one hand, Remy loved a challenge, and there was no challenge greater than the feisty Southern belle. On the other hand, he could easily step out of his room and have the pick of any other girl in the mansion with an easy smirk and few whispered French nothings. 'Wait, was dat a pro or a con?' he wondered to himself.

The thief in him wanted nothing more than to steal the unobtainable prize, but the playboy in him had to wonder when the last time was that he spent this much effort on a girl. The part that scared him the most was that, deep in his heart, he knew this _wasn't_ just about the challenge. He was really starting to care for her. He felt an unwelcome protectiveness for her, wishing he could shield her from the nasty hand that fate had dealt her. He knew that, of anyone, he would be willing to find ways around it. In fact, her mutation didn't bother him at all, only her unwillingness to work around it frustrated him.

That's when another realization hit him. He was at a turning point. If he decided to really pursue this girl and then got bored, he would hurt her. Not like a normal girl would be hurt, but catastrophically. Although tough in many ways, Rogue was also more fragile than any woman he had ever dealt with. He had to figure out what he was going to do, and it had to be all or nothing. Fear swarmed him when he thought about the option of all, and his heart ached in his chest at the thought of nothing. He had done some terrible things in his life, and he knew that she deserved a better prince than he, but what if that prince never came? Surely she deserved to be loved. His brows knitted tighter at the thought of love, something that he hadn't thought about since Belle. That had ended in such a horrendous event that he wasn't sure he could live through love again. One thing he did know was that he needed to decide if he was in or out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry, all! I wanted to update this sooner, but I kept getting a big, fat ERROR message from when I uploaded! The next one will be up next Monday as scheduled, promise! This chapter is dedicated to kataract52 who fixed the problem for me! Thanks, kataract52!**

**You know the usual - unfortunately I don't own them :) Please review! Ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.**

Bobby bounced around his room, jerking his towel-clad body around to the music blasting through his speakers. He turned around in what he thought was a super smooth move and yelped when he realized there was a man standing in his doorway, his locked door now standing wide open. His hands immediately went to cover his bare nipples, just as quickly removing them when he saw the Cajun thief holding in a laugh with all his might.

"What the hell are you doing here, you…. thief," he finished smugly, quickly pulling a shirt on over his head and slipping a pair of shorts under his towel before removing it.

"Look, Ice… _man_," he said, trying not to let it show how much the name hurt him. "I need yo' help. Wit' Rogue."

"Ha! You've got to be kidding me, right? I want you as far away from her as humanly possible!" Bobby shot back.

"Why? What, you in love wit' her or somethin'?"

"No! Don't be ridiculous! I just don't want to see her end up even more removed from society all because some player that loves a challenge played with her head!"

Remy, who hadn't moved out of the doorframe, narrowed his eyes to the boy in front of him and let out a sigh. He wasn't going to get anywhere with Rogue if he couldn't get somewhere with Bobby. "It's not like dat, Bobby. I like her, okay? I like her. We had a great time last weekend, not dat you asked, et I don' get why she ain't talkin' to me anymore."

Bobby stopped and looked at the man in front of him. The cocky, arrogant jerk almost looked… insecure. He mulled over the Cajun's words for a moment before asking tentatively, "why should I help you?"

Remy shuffled in the doorway, not sure what the boy wanted to hear, so he settled on the truth. "Because I like her. I wanna be wit' her et she needs dat. Yo' know dat as well as I do."

Bobby seemed to consider this for a moment. On one hand, he was right. Finally having a romantic relationship would be good for Rogue. He knew her loneliness affected her more than she let on. He caught her longing glances when she watched couples around the mansion. But, was Remy LeBeau the right person to give her this relationship? That, he wasn't so sure about. He looked at the man in front of him, who seemed to be on the edge of his seat, awaiting his reply. It was then that he realized it wasn't his place to decide what would happen between the two. Remy seemed sincere, and the rest was up to Rogue. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "Fine. But you hurt her, and I'll kill you myself."

Remy smirked, trying to suppress his own eye-roll, reaching out for a handshake of a temporary truce.

* * *

Rogue sat on her bed, staring at the wall, lost in thought. She briefly wondered if Dazzler had slept with Remy yet. She had seen him laying the charm on her the day before, making her blood boil. It was for the best, of course, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow. She was considering how she find an excuse to touch Dazzler to try and find out when her door opened and Bobby walked through, plopping himself down next to her on her bed.

"Bobby! Don't ya ever knock?"

"What for? I know you're never doing anything in here. You're one of the most boring people I know," he prodded her, lightly chuckling to himself.

Rogue gave him an icy glare. "What can Ah help ya with, Bobby?"

"I came to talk about Gambit."

Surprise etched her face. "What's there to talk about? Ah know ya don't like him."

"What? What ever would have given you that idea? I mean, I –"

"Bobby, cut the crap!"

"OK, maybe I was wrong about him," Bobby said. "He seems to really like you. Maybe you should give him a chance."

Rogue stood up and began to hastily pace in front of him. "What? This whole time you've been tellin' me NOT to date him, and now ya WANT me to date him? Explain yourself, Drake!"

"Look, Rogue, I think maybe I was being unfair before. He seems to really like you."

Rogue stopped to look at him. She crossed her arms and sat beside him, anger breaking. "Really?"

"Yeah, Rogue, it's obvious. I mean, I can't imagine the guy's ever went through this much trouble for a girl before. Look, it's your choice. If you want nothing to do with him, or if you want to date him, I'll support you either way."

Rogue brows knitted together in confusion. "Are ya sure he didn't pay you to say this?"

Bobby laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'm sure, though I wouldn't put it past him."

Remy was sitting on his bed, doing his best to look relaxed when he heard the knock at the door. Fingers crossed, he hopped up and opened the door to see his prayers answered in the form of an ivory-streaked Southern belle at his doorstep. "Chére?"

"Hey, Remy," she said quietly, eyes on her wringing hands. "Can Ah come in?"

"Music to my ears, chére," he said, moving backwards to let her in.

Remy could sense her nervousness spike even higher when he closed the door behind her. She stood, hands still wringing as he made his way gracefully over to his bed and sat down, back against the headboard and his hand patting the spot in front of him for her. She moved over and sat, further away than he suggested, and finally looked up at him. "Ah just… came to apologize. Ah know Ah've been kinda rough on ya the past couple of days."

"Remy don' mind it a little rough, chére, but dat was a bit much even for him," he smirked slyly, clearly entertaining himself.

Her eyes narrowed and brows furrowed in anger. "Stop it," she commanded with a seriousness in her tone that made his smirk quickly vanish.

"Quoi?" he asked, perplexed.

"Stop usin' lines with me like Ah'm Dazzler or somethin'. If you're serious about wantin' another date, you'll leave that charmin', flirtatious, third-person non-sense ya use with every other girl at the door!"

Remy lowered his eyes, feeling a bit guilty about slipping into his sweet talking ways with her when he knew better by now than to think she'd be taken with it. He took her gloved hand in his, ignoring her flinch and looked into her eyes sincerely. "Désolé, Rogue, I didn' mean it like dat. I jus' want a chance t'take you out again. And I don' want t'be punished by you before I even do anything wrong."

A flush rose to her cheeks at his last words. "Ah said Ah was sorry. This is just new for me, Remy, Ah need to take it a little slow."

Remy's smile returned when he saw her cheeks redden. He lifted a bare finger towards her face, stopping her when she tried to jerk back with a firm, but soft "Chére…" He twirled a white strand that was hanging in her face around his fingers before tucking it carefully behind her ear. "…so yo' sayin' I can't be even a _little_ charmin' and flirtatious?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Dirty swamp rat."

"Aww, Roguey, I know yo' say that with love."

Her face reddened once more at the sound of the word 'love,' and she decided that she needed to run before she turned into a beet. "So, are we still on for that date?"

"It'd be my pleasure. Saturday work for you, chére?"

"Ah'll see ya then, swamp rat," she said, heading quickly for the door, all the while inwardly cursing that her next stop would have to be to Jubilee and Kitty for a new outfit.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N – so comic book Rogue showed a lot of skin – I mean, a LOT of skin. She still freaked out if someone tried to touch her but she didn't seem to have an issue walking around half naked everywhere. In contrast, movie-Rogue (and most fic Rogues) are uber-careful about being covered head to toe at all times. My Rogue is kind of in the middle – she's cautious to be covered if she's going to be in a public place or around people that don't know to be cautious of her skin, but she's OK showing some skin around people like Logan, Bobby, etc. They know better than to reach out and touch her. Just a little FYI for y'all. Also, not gonna lie, this chapter is pure ROMY pandering. I'm sorry! Not really :) Now, enjoy!**

Before Rogue knew it, she was getting dressed for her date. Remy had once again requested that she dress nice. Being that last time she was told to dress up she ended up on a beach with just the two of them, she was starting to suspect that he just liked seeing her dolled up. She stood in front of her mirror in a long, sleeveless black maxi-style dress with red accents. She had expressed concern at Jubilee and Kitty's choice because she didn't know if they were going somewhere that was crowded, but the girls quickly picked out a matching black shawl to wrap around her bare shoulders and arms if that was the case, so she relented. She did, however, add her own touch of short, soft black gloves. Her long curls cascaded down her back, adding more cover to her bare shoulders. She glanced at the clock – 8:10pm. Just late enough to get him back for last time.

Remy paced in the foyer, waiting for his date. He made sure he showed up early this time. He was dressed in black suit pants and a blazer with a white button up shirt underneath it and, true to Gambit form, the top few buttons undone. His hair stayed perfectly unkempt and his face remained covered in a permanent five o'clock shadow. He went over his plan for the night in his head for the hundredth time that evening. He knew that getting physical with Rogue was going to take some inventive thinking, but the real challenge would lie in convincing Rogue to let him try. He knew that she would sooner stay celibate for a lifetime than risk causing physical harm from him and he was desperate to change her mind about that. He had never in his life wanted a woman the way he wanted her. The fact that he cared for her and wanted to be with her was icing on the cake, but the pure physical desire he felt for her was something new to him as well. The simplest things she did, brushing a loose strand from her face or chewing nervously on her bottom lip, sent courses of want through his body. Now that he had been given the opportunity to win her heart, he wanted, no, _needed_ the opportunity to claim her body as well. He shook the thoughts from his head, not wanting to start the date with a raging hard on that would certainly send her running in the other direction.

Hearing a noise, he whipped his head towards the top of the stairs just in time to see Rogue, looking like a vision, headed towards him. Positive that his jaw was on the floor, Remy cleared his throat and rushed towards her to help her down the stairs. "Chére, yo' look tres magnifique tonight. Et might I add, those are some extremely sexy colors yo' got on," he smirked, winking a red on black eye at her.

"Dirty swamp rat," she grinned. Gloved hand in gloved hand they left the mansion.

Remy pulled the car into a spot in front of a popular Cajun restaurant near the city. Rogue felt a swarm of anxiety knot her stomach when she saw it. She'd wanted to go to this restaurant for years to enjoy some authentic southern cooking that she missed so much, but since it's grand opening, it had always been packed, and that many people meant bad news for her. As they walked towards the restaurant she clutched her shawl around her, nervousness setting in. 'Ah should've worn long sleeves,' she thought as they reached the door. Remy gallantly stepped before her, opening the door for her with a bow.

Rogue stepped inside to see a beautiful, low-lit restaurant with New Orleans-style decal and a bluesy jazz band playing. Rogue took it all in for a moment before realizing that the many tables were empty. In fact, other then the band, a bartender, and a waiter, she didn't see anyone at all. Perplexed, she turned to her date. "Remy?"

"Oui?"

"There's nobody here."

"Oui, Roguey. I t'ought yo'd prefer it a little less crowded, non?"

A smile spread across her face like wildfire, and in a swift move she moved her shawl off of her shoulders to his lips, giving him a quick kiss over the fabric. He easily could've handled a short kiss without the cover, but he knew how cautious she was. The fact that she would even kiss him on her own accord was a huge step, and one that he wouldn't take for granted. Smirking, he snaked an arm around her waist and led her to the table of her choice.

They slid into a cozy booth in great view of the band. A young blonde man approached their table immediately. "Bonjour Monsieur LeBeau and Mademoiselle…" he trailed off as if trying to remember a script he had memorized earlier.

"Rogue, just Rogue, sugah," she said, unable to take her eyes off of the handsome Cajun sitting across from her.

Dinner was a blur. Amazing southern food, good drinks and laughter. Rogue was terrified. She knew that Remy liked her in spite of her mutation, but this was a whole new playing field. She couldn't imagine how much it cost him to rent out a place that was usually packed on a Saturday night. She knew that money was hardly an object for the thief, but the fact that he did this also meant he cared about her comfort. Her head was swimming from the wine and the company when Remy stood, offering his hand for a dance.

As they stepped out onto the floor, Rogue could've sworn she saw Remy give a wink to the band. Their up tempo jazz cut short and they began playing a slow melody. A small black woman stepped onto the stage and up to the microphone as Remy wrapped his arms around his Southern Belle, pulling her in close with only a hint of hesitation on Rogue's part. The woman began a soulful rendition of Etta James' 'At Last' as the two swayed in each other's arms. Rogue's heart was beating a mile a minute as the song ended and Remy pulled back just far enough to look down at her. "Roguey?" he asked, voice barely over a whisper.

"Yes, Remy?"

"I want yo' t'let me try somethin'," he whispered, moving his lips a breath away from hers, staring deep into her eyes.

Completely breathless, she choked out an "okay" a second before his lips were on hers. He kissed her deeply and she followed suit quicker than the last time. When they were coming up on the amount of time it took for him to pass out last time, Rogue tried to pull away, not wanting to live through the embarrassment of him falling unconscious at her feet in public, but he held her to him and continued to kiss her. It was nearly a minute later when he finally pulled away, breathless, but conscious and grinning like a fool.

"Remy! How…?" she asked, perplexed.

"Just took some… out of de box thinkin' chére," he said with a wink, struggling to catch his breath. Rogue's bewildered look told him he'd have to explain further. After a few gulps of air, he pulled her back over to the table. "Yo' see, Roguey, yo' take people's energy, et I create energy, so I figured if I could concentrate my energy in une place, like my lips," he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "den I could kiss yo' for longer."

Rogue smiled, tears filling her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. She scooped up his hand in hers and squeezed. "Thank ya, Remy."

2 hours later, after more drinks and dancing, the two returned home. The mansion stood quiet and dark, as it was well passed the students' curfews. Remy walked Rogue, arm in arm to her room. He could sense her nervousness when they reached her door. She turned towards him in front of her door, preparing to say goodnight. In one swift movement Remy was in her personal space once again. He lifted a gloved hand to caress her cheek. He felt her breath hitch at his touch and held back a smirk. He leaned into her, placing his lips only a whisper away from her ear. "Merci for de date, chére," he said softly to her, noticing the shudder it produced from her.

"Ah… Ah had a great time," she squeaked out, uncomfortable with his closeness, but also desperate for him to be closer. The strange mix of emotions surged through her chest all the way down, causing a heat she had never experienced.

"Best date I ever had, Roguey," he let out huskily. His other hand moved to her hip, rubbing circles into her skin. She let out an involuntary moan, giving him all the invitation he needed to push her body up against her door.

His hot lips seared her skin, covering her neck in quick kisses and nips, to taste her in the way he'd been yearning to all night, but also to limit the skin on skin contact as much as possible to make it last. His hands went wandering all over her body as his lips moved to hers.

Rogue had never felt so nervous. Never in her life had she been caught up in a hot and heavy make out session against a door. Part of her screamed for more, while another part of her screamed for her to stop before she embarrassed herself. This was the first time she had ever kissed a man without putting him into a coma. Was she even doing this right? Breaking her from her thoughts, Remy ground his pelvis into hers. The heat from his hardness pressed against her, letting her know she must be doing something right. Remy placed two hands under her backside, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he continued to press into her. She felt his knees buckle slightly and he pulled away from her lips just long enough to pull her shawl between them. Although the sensation of kissing through the shawl was different, it didn't dampen the heat between them. Remy lifted a hand to her breast, squeezing roughly as she moaned into his mouth. What was first a stiff erection now throbbed achingly against her.

Deciding to up the ante, Remy let Rogue's legs down, catching the hem of her dress and slipping a gloved hand underneath. He kept kissing her as let a finger slip into her panties to press against her moist heat. Her eyes snapped open. "Remy!" she cried out. Although the outburst was that of pleasure, she was quickly pushing his hand away. "Ah… Remy we're in the hallway!"

Eyes clouded with lust, he did all he could to focus on her words rather than having his way with her. "We can move dis into yo' bedroom if you'd like."

Rogue's eyes widened. She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to, but this was a whole new level that she didn't know how to handle yet. Remy no doubt knew what he was doing in the bedroom and, by what she had felt, was working with plenty. "Ah just… don't think we should tonight, Remy. Ah'd better turn in. Ah had a lovely evening," she spewed out and was in her room with the door closed before the Cajun could even reply.


	10. Chapter 10

**Don't own - just play with :)**

The next two months were hard for Remy… literally. He thought that if he gave Rogue some time, she'd be more comfortable with letting him touch her, but so far she had done nothing but pull away. Frustrated, Remy began to wonder if a relationship was even possible if Rogue wasn't even willing to try to work around her situation. He gave himself a long, hard look in the mirror. He was getting ready to go see Rogue; they were supposed to watch a movie in her room. On her bed, alone. He sighed. He felt like a sexually frustrated teenage boy trying to get his girlfriend to let him get to first base.

This wasn't him. Remy LeBeau didn't walk around begging a girl for action. He certainly didn't live a celibate lifestyle. It had been two and a half months since he'd last gotten laid – two and a half months! It felt like a lifetime for him. He hadn't gone this long without sex in over a decade. He sighed once again and ran a hand through his hair. He was beginning to feel out of options. When he decided to date Rogue, he knew it wasn't going to be easy in this aspect and he knew that he was taking a risk, but it had become more difficult than he'd ever imagined.

He loved her. Though he hadn't told her so, he'd come to the conclusion that he loved her over one month ago. It was one frustrating day where his home business was threatening to wiggle it's way back into his life after years of him trying to avoid it and start anew. He had been in a foul mood and snapped at everyone, including Rogue all day. She sweetly asked him to share what was bothering him and he'd coldly refused, walking out on her completely. It was not his finest hour, he could surely admit, but his past was not something he wanted the innocent girl to know about. He'd gone to the danger room and literally worked himself until he could no longer stand. He remembered getting one last explosion out before he'd blacked out, exhausted, onto the danger room floor in a heap.

He awoke a few hours later in darkness. He immediately recognized that what he was laying on was far too soft to be the danger room floor. He wearily opened his eyes and let them adjust to the darkness until he could see almost as well as most people could with a soft light on. He recognized that he was in Rogue's room. He moved slightly and realized that he was wrapped around a warm, soft body. He was lying across his girlfriend, arm around her waist, head on her chest. The placement of his head immediately sent fire throughout his body as it may have been the closest he'd gotten to touching her in any intimate area since their date at the Cajun restaurant. Lifting his head to look at her she stirred a bit, a gloved hand reaching down and stroking his hair comfortingly. Gathering that she must've found him passed out in the danger room and brought him upstairs to her room so he wouldn't have to wake up alone made him feel like a grade-A asshole. Although Rogue had a sassy exterior, inside she had a heart of gold. It was the first time that he realized he loved her, as well as the first time he suspected that he really didn't deserve her.

And now, here he was a month later, trying his damnedest not to screw it all up in the usual Remy fashion, but having a hard being able to think straight with all of the blood in his body constantly rushing to the wrong head. He'd done his best to avoid Dazzler in the past month, as she still poured it on him pretty thick. She wasn't even close to the one he wanted, but it had been so long that he was starting to think his dick had an agenda of its own. Being with Rogue was like some sweet, sick torture. She had a body made for sin, built from his dirtiest fantasies and all he could do was look. No, all she would _let_ him do was look. He let out one last sigh before leaving his room, hoping that would change tonight.

* * *

Rogue was in her mirror, doing her best "I didn't put any effort into looking this good" make up and hair. She wore cute, but comfortable lounge pants and a thin, long sleeved shirt with short gloves. She would've been daring enough to wear a short sleeved shirt or tank top, like she usually slept in, but she knew Remy would come to her room in a t-shirt or perhaps no shirt at all, and she didn't want to risk getting too close with that much skin exposed. She blushed at the thought of him coming up with no shirt on. She knew he was getting frustrated at how little she was letting him get away with. It wasn't that she didn't want to try and find away around her mutation and it wasn't that she didn't trust him, it was that she didn't trust herself.

Something about Remy made her completely lose every brain cell she had and the only thought she could process when they kissed was "touch more." She knew if things got too heavy that she would touch him and he would probably let her and then… she couldn't bear if she hurt him. She'd never be able to forgive herself if he ended up in a coma just because she couldn't control herself with him. She absentmindedly chewed on her bottom lip, wondering if there was any way to give them both what they wanted without risking his safety. She was coming up with nothing when there was a knock at her door. Remy sauntered in after she yelled a "come in" in sweatpants and a form fitting white shirt that made him look almost as sexy as he did with no shirt at all and, his new standard, gloves. She chewed on her lip with a little more force before jumping up to hug him.

"What are we watchin' tonight, chére?" he asked, as it was her turn to pick.

"Ah didn't have any movies Ah really wanted to watch so Kitty gave me this one," she said, holding up a DVD with 'Original Sin' sprawled across the front.

"De title sounds promisin', but since it's _chaton's_ it's probably a chick flick," he said with a roll of his eyes before collapsing on her bed.

Remy thought for sure he'd be paying more attention to the way Rogue had chosen to sit in between his outstretched legs, her ass pressed unnecessarily close to his manhood with her back flush against his front, than to the movie, but it was turning out to be more interesting than he'd expected. That was, until the movie went to full on sex scene mode. Immediate tension filled the room, but neither dared to speak. Unable to control it, Remy felt himself grow painfully hard against Rogue. He stifled a moan when he heard her gasp and felt her body tighten against him.

His heart pounded, once again feeling like that teenage boy as he raised a hesitant gloved hand to her waist. His breath was heavy against her neck, causing chills to rush through her body. "Roguey," he whispered huskily in her ear, "I want yo' t'trust me." He snaked a hand around her, settling it at the hem of her pants, awaiting her permission.

Rogue was practically shaking, unable to answer other than giving a hesitant nod. Remy took this as a go ahead and worked his gloved hand into her pants to her center that was already warm and wet for him. Rogue took in a gasp and closed her eyes, begging herself to stay in control. Remy worked his fingers expertly until her breathing became more and more labored. He concentrated his energy to his lips and pressed light kisses to her neck. Rogue began to subconsciously thrust her hips into his moving fingers, causing her backside to grind against Remy's already throbbing hard on. "Oh god, Remy," she whimpered as she rubbed against him, causing him to feel like he might explode at any moment with her. Rogue reached an arm up behind her head to grab onto his hair. She felt like she might lose it at any moment and wanted something to grab on to. As her gloved hand reached Remy's head, her sleeve pulled down slightly, her bare wrist brushing against his face.

At first it felt as if Rogue's horniness had inexplicably doubled, but when Remy's fingers slightly lost their rhythm she opened her eyes to see that his head was bobbing lightly, like a tired student falling asleep at their desk. She jumped off of the bed as fast as humanly possible, bringing her hands up to her face. Remy shook his head slightly, feeling foggy headed, but conscious. "Oh my… Remy, Ah'm so sorry," Rogue cried, tears welling up in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? She'd completely lost her head. What if she hadn't noticed his falter? She shuddered at the possibilities as Remy composed himself.

"Chére, I'm fine. Come back over here," he tried to coax her; desperate to not let this hiccup ruin what was promising to be some very good progress.

"Are ya crazy? Ah can't come back over there. Ah could've killed ya, Remy! Oh god, how could Ah've been so reckless?" she scolded herself, turning her back to him.

Remy slid off the bed and walked hesitantly to her, not wanting to upset her more by getting too close. "Rogue, stop dis. It was a mistake! Don' use dis as another reason t'push me away physically."

She turned towards him, eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just mean it's taken us dis long t'get here, I don' want t'take another step backwards," he tried to explain, placing careful gloved hands on her shoulders.

She stepped back, out of his reach. "So forget that Ah could've killed ya if it's gonna mean no action for ya, huh?" she shot back, knowing that she was blowing things out of proportion, but unable to stop herself.

"Non, it's not like dat, Rogue, yo' know dat… I love yo'," he finally admitted, hoping it would calm the situation and remind her that he wasn't the enemy here.

Rogue eyebrows knotted in confusion. There was no way. There was no way he could love her. The Casanova reformed-player in love with the untouchable? No. She couldn't believe it, which only led her to wonder what the game was. "What… are ya just sayin' this so Ah'll let ya touch me again? Ah can't believe ya would go this far, Remy!"

Remy's blood began to boil. Love was not an easy thing to admit for him, and although he wasn't sure he'd get an 'I love you, too,' he was certain he didn't deserve such a disgusting accusation. Losing his cool, he spat back at her, "don' flatter yo'self, Rogue! If I was just lookin' for a piece of ass, I certainly wouldn't have t'put in dis much work with yo'! I could just walk down the hall and get some like dat!" he yelled with a snap of his fingers.

Not thinking clearly, Rogue missed Remy's message completely and focused mainly on his harsh delivery. "Fine! Ya go do that, Remy. Ah'm sure Dazzler will be more than pleased to hear that you're back on the market!" she screamed.

'Back on the market?' he thought, taken momentarily aback. She was saying this was over? He was saying I love you, and she was saying this was over? Remy's face went cold, all the love in his eyes gone; buried as deep down as he could manage. "Guess I will den, Roguey. Enjoy yo' vibrator," he said smugly, mock saluting her as he stormed out of her room, out of the mansion, and directly to the nearest bar.

* * *

***dodges flying tomatoes* Don't kill me! It wouldn't be Romy without a little drama! Don't worry, I only believe in happy endings for these two... they just sometimes take the long and difficult road to it. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Don't kill me for the lateness and shortness of this chapter *ducks tomatoes*. In my defense, it was my birthday and I was out of town in New Orleans. No, unfortunately I did NOT find Gambit. I fully intended on locking him in my basement until he developed Stockholm Syndrome, but no such luck :( So, enjoy the next chapter and I'll update quicker next time.**

**Also, for those of you that are also reading Secrets of the Hierarchy, as that story is winding down, I'm trying to plan my next, so let me know - do you prefer the more serious, darker Secrets of the Hierarchy, or a more light hearted drama like The Only Exception? Leave in the comments :)**

**I don't own them.**

Three hours later, high metabolism aside, Remy was pretty drunk. He'd found a nearby hole in the wall and proceeded to drown his problems in bourbon. He had just turned the fourth consecutive blonde down when he sensed someone plop down in the stool beside his. He turned towards the figure to meet the back of said-person's head, covered in long, chestnut curls. He ran a timid hand down the ends of her tresses and asked hopefully, "chére?"

A pretty girl turned towards him at his touch and his face dropped. "Wow," she commented, "I didn't think I looked that bad when I left the house tonight."

"Non, désolé," he apologized. "Just thought yo' were someone else." He raised his head towards the girl. Though she was missing a white streak and had hazel eyes instead of luminous green ones, she looked quite similar to his Rogue. He wondered for a moment if they felt the same, or tasted the same. Not that it mattered since she dumped his Cajun ass, he thought bitterly. He checked his phone one more time to see that there was still no apologies or pleading for him to come back. He was jerked out of his thoughts when he noticed a warm hand on his bare arm.

"You okay? You look kind of sad," she pouted. "Anything I can do to help?" she asked suggestively, stroking his arm.

He stared at where she was touching him for a moment, trying to remember the last time he'd had skin on skin contact. It was something that you didn't notice so much until you no longer had the luxury. He wondered if Rogue even remembered what skin felt like at this point. Even though he wanted to be fuming, his heart still ached for her a little when he thought about that. Then his mind went back to the ugly things she had said to him. He loved her. And he actually admitted it. It was practically the eighth wonder of the world, and she spat at it. Frustrated, he tossed back the rest of his drink. "Did yo' want t'get outta here, cherie?" he asked, pasting a smirk on his face.

* * *

Rogue stared up at her ceiling in the dark, still unable to find sleep. Their fight played over and over again in her head, and the more she replayed it, the guiltier she felt. He'd told her that he loved her. Though Remy was a man of secrets, she had gotten to know enough about him to know that love was an extremely difficult thing for him to feel, let alone say. And he'd said it to her just to have it stuffed back down his throat.

A silent tear ran down her cheek as her eyes desperately searched the ceiling for some kind of answer. She was wrong, she knew it. She didn't even tell him why she was feeling how she was, she just yelled at him. She sighed when she thought about all of the horrible things she'd accused him of that she knew weren't true. In the heat of the moment, it just seemed easier to push him away than to risk losing herself and hurting him. And now, she'd hurt them both. With a sudden urge to fix this, she shot up out of bed and left her room. She had to get to him – explain why she had said those things and apologize. Maybe it wasn't too late to fix this. Remy was the first man to be patient enough with her to even attempt a relationship, and as much as she tried to deny it, she'd fallen in love with him as well. She found herself in a half sprint to his door.

Rogue went to knock on the door when she heard a thump against the door. She stopped, fist hovering in front of the door and listened in. Was that… a woman's voice? Surely not even Remy LeBeau would be screwing some stranger a few hours after their fight, would he? 'Oh god, Remy,' echoed faintly through the door as her answer.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Remy snuck the girl who's name he couldn't remember, though he was sure she'd told him along the way, into his room with the stealth of a thief. As soon as the door closed he was pressing her against it, hungrily tasting her mouth. Sadly, she did not taste like Rogue. Between his drunken state and the darkness of the room, he could almost pretend he was looking at her when he pulled back, his hips still pressing her against the door. He was silently willing her to be someone else when she purred at him, "what's wrong?"

He winced. The lack of a sweet Southern twang almost made him lose his hard on that the girl was now stroking roughly. Remy closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of her hand, grabbing him over his boxer briefs. Rogue could grab him like this. This was feasible. With that, he went back to kissing her, this time opting for her neck, pushing aside long locks of chestnut that didn't smell quite right. He slipped a hand up her skirt and just before he reached his destination she moaned, "Oh god, Remy."

_** Rogue began to subconsciously thrust her hips into his moving fingers, causing her backside to grind against Remy's already throbbing hard on. "Oh god, Remy," she whimpered as she rubbed against him, causing him to feel like he might explode at any moment with her.**_

He pushed away from the stranger as if he had just touched fire. The girl looked at him, bewildered. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I can't do dis. Yo' gotta go," Remy said, fixing his pants.

"Are you serious?"

"Oui. Désolé, yo' gotta go," he repeated, ignoring the fuming look on her face. He reached passed her and opened the door to find a stunned and tear-filled Rogue at his doorstep.


	12. Chapter 12

**I know! I know! Don't hurt me! I'm back - I swear - just had some health stuff and work taking up my time. I added in the last paragraph from the chapter before to remind you of where we were at. Drama ensues. Don't own them - review please :)**

Remy snuck the girl who's name he couldn't remember, though he was sure she'd told him along the way into his room with the stealth of a thief. As soon as the door closed he was pressing her against it, hungrily tasting her mouth. Sadly, she did not taste like Rogue. Between his drunken state and the darkness of the room, he could almost pretend he was looking at her when he pulled back, his hips still pressing her against the door. He was silently willing her to be someone else when she purred at him, "what's wrong?"

He winced. The lack of a sweet Southern twang almost made him lose his hard on that the girl was now stroking roughly. Remy closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of her hand, grabbing him over his boxer briefs. Rogue could grab him like this. This was feasible. With that, he went back to kissing her, this time opting for her neck, pushing aside long locks of chestnut that didn't smell quite right. He slipped a hand up her skirt and just before he reached his destination she moaned, "Oh god, Remy."

He pushed away from her as if he had just touched fire. The girl looked at him, bewildered. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I can't do dis. Yo' gotta go," Remy said, fixing his pants.

"Are you serious?"

"Oui. Désolé, yo' gotta go," he repeated, ignoring the fuming look on her face. He reached passed her and opened the door to find a stunned and tear-filled Rogue at his doorstep.

* * *

A figure watched the scene play out from the bottom of the staircase. His fists clenched and unclenched subconsciously. He seriously considered walking right up there and punching Gambit out cold, but as the other woman that had gotten pushed out walked passed him and out of the mansion, he decided against it. Rogue wanted to be treated like a big girl, so he would let her handle it until she told him otherwise. He watched Rogue walk hurriedly back down the hall towards her room with the Cajun hot on her heels trying to explain. A door slammed, followed shortly by some loud knocks on the door and too little, too late explanations through a closed door. After a few minutes of getting nowhere, he watched Gambit retreat back to his room, a pained expression across his face. Shortly after, the spectator followed suit, silently hoping that Rogue would ask him to take care of it in the morning.

* * *

Remy paced his room for a good portion of the night, his buzz depleting the second he had opened the door to those forlorn evergreen eyes. He couldn't believe what an idiot he had been. She was obviously there to make up and he opens the door to some bar tramp and his pants undone. _'Crétin,' _he berated himself, unable to believe his own damned luck. He was doing the right thing! Okay, well, maybe it didn't start out that way, but old habits are hard to break. But he'd stopped before anything happened! And it's not like she hadn't just dumped him anyway!

He sighed, falling back onto his bed. He'd been so hurt that she'd rejected him after he confessed his feelings that he'd temporarily lost his head. Surely she would understand that, right? His brows furrowed, recalling that, although he'd explained thoroughly through the closed door, she hadn't opened up for him. This was the first woman in a long time that he cared deeply about. He loved her. This had to work out. He was determined. He had to find a way to convince her, or there was really no reason for him to stay an X-Man.

* * *

Although Rogue had stopped being a student long ago, she did live at a school and she knew that, after the chaotic scene from last night, it was only a matter of time before the entire Institute heard some version - true or not - of the event. This was the exact reason that, at 6 pm the next day, she still hadn't emerged from her room. Remy came by three times throughout the day, quietly begging her to let him in and hear him out – even attempting to bribe her with food once to no avail. When a knock came at her door, she had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming at the Cajun on the other side. She had been playing the silent game thus far, and she was at her wits end. She was surprised to hear Bobby's voice call out to her. "Come on, Rogue, let me in. I brought you dinner."

Stomach rumbling, she hopped off of her bed and ushered the boy inside before closing and locking the door behind him. "Thanks, Bobby, Ah apprecia-"

"Do you want me to take care of him?" Bobby interrupted her, straight faced.

"What?"

"I can deal with him if you want me to, Rogue." His face stayed serious as he finally broke her gaze to put the plate of food down on her desk.

"No, Bobby, that's okay, really. Ah should've expected this, anyway. Nobody can stand bein' with some girl that can't touch. Ah can't even say woman seriously. Ah just… Ah was stupid to think Ah could seriously date anybody. Least of all Remy LeBeau," she finished with a twinge of bitterness.

Bobby's face broke from anger to compassion. He grabbed her by the shoulders, moving close, leaning into her until Rogue could feel his breath. "Rogue, any guy would be an idiot to hurt you. You're one of the most amazing, fiery, beautiful women I've ever met. Don't for a second think this is anyone's fault but that stupid Cajun's." Bobby lifted one hand and lightly caressed her face through her fallen waves. Rogue's throat caught as she thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, but to her relief, Bobby pulled away, mumbled something about giving her some time alone, and left.

Rogue stood, stunned, minutes after Bobby had left. That couldn't have been what she thought it was… right?

* * *

Bobby stalked off towards the library, still seething at the thought of that stupid Cajun. He turned a corner just in time to see Gambit turn down the same hall at the opposite end. Without giving thought to the bystanders between them, Bobby set off towards him, fists icing over. Gambit stood, watching the furious man coming towards him, but didn't seem to be preparing to make any attempt to stop him. He felt he might welcome some physical pain to match how he was feeling. Bobby was seconds to clocking the thief when he was halted by a nearby _snikt._ Bobby stood, barely restraining himself as the Canadian stepped between them. "Did Rogue ask ya to punch ol' Gumbo here out?" he demanded.

Bobby looked down at Logan with an impressively livid sneer for the usually bubbly boy. "What difference does it make? I'm sure she'd appreciate it! And let's not pretend you wouldn't like to do the same thing."

Remy stood in his place, watching the two men talk, unsure why the Wolverine was coming to his aid. He was sure that he would've been the first one knocking on his door with his claws unsheathed that morning. "It ain't our business, Ice Cube. Rogue's a grown woman, and if she can't handle it, she knows who to call."

"You're seriously telling me that you don't want to tan his man whore hide for having sex with that slut?" Bobby exclaimed, bewildered.

"I didn' have sex wit' her!" Remy objected, finally break his silence.

Bobby looked at him disbelievingly. "Right."

"I didn'!"

"Of course not!"

"I didn'!" Remy growled, face turning red.

"He didn't," Logan interjected, stopping both of the men's squabbles.

"What?" they asked simultaneously.

"What the hell are you talking about, Logan? Everyone knows he did," Bobby said.

"I was downstairs when he kicked the girl out of the room, Bobby. The girl reeked of anger and disappointment. Not to mention I hear _everything_ that goes on in this mansion," he said, glaring at Remy.

Although Remy knew he should be terrified, he was ecstatic. "Dieu merci!" he cried out, desperately containing the urge to hug the hairy man in front of him. "Why haven't you told Rogue?"

It was Logan's turn to stare daggers at Gambit. "Like I said, Gumbo, ain't my business. And just because ya didn't have sex with that girl doesn't mean you're exactly innocent."

Shame and anger crossed Remy's face as he turned to leave, certain that his only glimmer of hope had just been put out.


	13. Chapter 13

**OK, OK, don't kill me! I've been having a terrible case of writer's block with this story, and I'm still not 100% sure on where I'm going to take it, but here's some drama in the meantime :) As always suggestions and reviews are very welcome! On a happier note, I went to Comic-con in July (another reason I'm so late on updating) and it was AWESOME! Found a few Gambits, but not the real one unfortunately :( Until I find him, I'll have to stick to writing him! **

**Don't own, just play with.**

* * *

Remy begrudgingly made his way back to his room, not wasting his time trying to convince Wolverine to bail him out. It was a lost cause even if Wolverine _liked_ the Cajun, he was sure. He let out a sigh when he pushed open his door, realizing that it wasn't vacant. He was in no mood for company, but he knew this talk was inevitable.

"Please tell me the rumors are not true, Remy. You did not actually cheat on Rogue within these very walls, did you?" Ororo asked from the edge of Remy's bed.

"Is dat what de kids are sayin', Stormy?" he replied coldly. "Can't believe you'd even have t'ask."

"Remy, you know that I am well versed in your previous ways with women. I was happy at how content you and Rogue seemed together, but I know with her inability to touch –"

"I was happy! She wasn't!" he screamed at her, walking passed her to his bathroom. "She ended it, Stormy. Dat girl I brought back here… she was just in the right place at the right time, and I couldn't even go through with it!" He reached out to grab a stray glass, charging it before throwing it towards the bathroom wall, the explosion causing a hole to appear straight through to the room on the other side. He almost jumped at the feel of Ororo's hand on his shoulder, so lost in his rage that he didn't hear her movement.

"I do believe that Rogue was happy with you, Remy. She was the happiest I have seen her in years. If it is true that nothing happened with this girl, why not talk to Rogue and work it out?"

Remy didn't turn to face her. He feared that the truth may come spilling out if he met her eye. He couldn't tell her that he'd confessed his love for Rogue right before she broke his heart. He'd hardly been able to admit to himself how deeply her rejection had affected him. He couldn't possibly admit to someone else that he allowed himself to become so vulnerable. He sighed inwardly. "I swear nothin' happened, Stormy. Wolverine even knows it, but he ain't gonna help me. I tried t'tell her, but she don' believe me. I can'… I just need t'be alone, Ororo."

Ororo pulled her hand back, his lack of nickname telling her how serious he was. She wished to tell him something comforting, but based on her lack of knowledge on the situation, thought it best to just honor his wishes and leave him alone to figure out how to fix this.

He walked back over to his bed and flung himself down on it, running his fingers through his hair. _At least Stormy believes me,_ he thought, realizing that for as long as he's been trying to talk to Rogue, he hadn't actually been able to talk to her yet. He hadn't even seen her since he found her outside of his room. Maybe she would believe him too if she would just talk to him. With new resolve, he swung his legs off the bed and sprinted towards the door.

* * *

Lorna lifted a hand to her mouth with a gasp. She had jumped about ten feet in the air when her bedroom wall exploded in. She had walked towards the wall to give the cheating Cajun a piece of her mind when she realized that he wasn't alone. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but the conversation stopped her. She knew that Storm was one of Gambit's only real friends in the mansion. There was no reason for him to be lying to her in the privacy of his own room. He really _didn't_ cheat on Rogue. Lorna decided to skip the lecture and head for her friend's room. Rogue put up an angry front, but she knew that the girl was hurting from Remy's transgression. She was happy to put an end to her suffering and at least get the couple talking again if she could. After all, Rogue had been trying to help her work up the nerve to ask out Bobby for months now.

Their relationship still hadn't gone passed flirting – due to Lorna's shyness, and, unbeknownst to her, Bobby's nervousness about her. She had finally worked up the nerve to ask Bobby out for this weekend – she was just waiting for the opportune time. Maybe once she got Rogue back to talking with Remy, she would have her chance, as Bobby had been diligently watching over Rogue since the news came out. Sometimes she swore that Bobby carried a torch for Rogue, but she promised Lorna that wasn't the case. A smile crossed her lips at the thought that she could have a date with Bobby by the end of the day. Before she knew it, she found herself at Rogue's door, the silly grin on her face fading to a frown.

* * *

Once Remy had headed back to his room, Bobby stood around for about 60 seconds before he came to a drastic conclusion. He hurriedly ran back towards Rogue's room, barreling in without knocking. He found her sitting at the edge of her bed, crying. She looked up at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Obviously this was one of the times he should've knocked. Kind of like that time he'd busted through the door right as she had gotten out of the shower, but a lot less funny. Nobody knew how much Rogue hated being seen as vulnerable as well as Bobby did. Finding her crying was, in many ways, worse than walking in on her naked. She wiped her eyes quickly and stood up, prepared to find an excuse to run from him. He reached out for her before she could. "Rogue, please don't run away."

"Ah don't feel like talkin' right now, Bobby, do you mind givin' me a minute alone?" she asked, trying not to sound annoyed when he's been so kind to her.

"I do mind, Rogue. I'm tired of seeing you like this. You don't deserve it!" he said, getting more worked up than he planned to. The tears in her eyes only solidified his plan. He knew the second that Logan confirmed that Remy didn't cheat that eventually Rogue would find out and she'd go back to him because she'd feel like she didn't have any other options. In his opinion, it wasn't fair and it wasn't right. The Cajun may not have had sex with the bar floozy, but she was still there in his room doing God knows what and his best friend deserved better. He'd been through everything with Rogue and time after time she got dealt a bad hand. She deserved someone to treat her right, even if it had to be him. He knew that Rogue had never thought of him in any capacity passed friendship, and neither had he, but he loved her as a friend and he was tired of seeing her in pain. "You deserve someone that cares about you, Rogue. It's about time you got it," he said. Before she could reply, he grabbed her shoulders and leaned in, placing his lips on hers.

* * *

Rogue realized where Bobby was going with his speech about half a second before he kissed her. When he grabbed her and pulled her in for a kiss, she was in such shock, she didn't know what to do. Her brain worked in overdrive. Does she kiss back? Push him away? Did Bobby really have feelings for her? She was still processing her own feelings when Bobby's own began to invade her mind. Before she could sort anything out, Bobby slumped to the floor at her feet. She heard a gasp from the doorway and turned to see a heartbroken Lorna.

Still fuzzy with Bobby's conflicting feelings, she turned towards the girl to explain. "Lorna! No – it's not what it looks like!" she tried to explain.

Lorna's eyes swelled with tears as she turned to run. She ran right into a sullen looking Cajun, who caught her by the shoulders before she could trip over his feet. She steadied herself for a moment before running off, leaving a pained Remy and Rogue face to face for the first time in a very long 24 hours.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, all! Just wanted to say thank you for the reviews and the interest in the story. I'm trying to figure out whether I want to wrap this up in the next couple of chapters or cause some more drama. Let me know what you guys think - This is my first attempt at a straight drama fic with no real fighting or action, so I just want to make sure I'm not draaaaaagging it out too terribly for you guys :) Anyway, enjoy the next chapter and leave your thoughts in the review section! **

**Don't own, just play with.**

Rogue felt bogged down by self-pity and anger towards the Cajun in front of her. It took her a moment to realize that this feeling sorry for Rogue and hating Remy was being greatly amplified by Bobby's intruding psyche. She lifted a hand to stop Remy from talking in front of her. "Not now, Remy. Ah can't talk to ya right now," she said, head reeling. She was angry enough finding him alone with that bar fly to never speak to him again, but Bobby's feelings on top of her own was sure to get him a punch in the face.

Remy let his eyes fall to the heap of blonde prankster on her floor and back up to her, lost for words even if she was allowing him to talk. He had never suspected that Bobby had feelings for Rogue. His secondary mutation usually allowed him to pick up on those things. He could only conclude that this wasn't what it looked like, but the sight of Bobby kissing Rogue and Bobby now on the floor told him otherwise. He looked into her frustrated eyes, surely sorting out the personality, powers and memories of _Iceboy._ Remy knitted his eyebrows in irritation until something clicked. Memories! "Rogue, please. I know yo' not exactly talkin' t'me right now, but are you gettin' anythin' up there from ol' Iceboy?" he asked hopefully.

Rogue turned to him, barely registering his words as the invasive feeling finally began to die down. "Ah don't know what you're talkin' about Remy, but like Ah said, now's not the time. Ah'm a little preoccupied," she said, turning back towards her room.

"I know, Rogue, but please, just try! Anythin' at all? About the Wolverine?"

Rogue gave an exasperated sigh and slammed the door in his face, not bothering to turn towards him as she did it. Remy balled a fist, slamming it into her door in frustration. The girl really knew how to work his nerve, but he wouldn't be deterred this time. Especially not if there was any chance she could know the truth now. He pulled out a deck of cards and propped himself against her door, prepared to wait as long as she could.

Inside the room, Rogue wondered about Remy's inquiries. She tried sorting through the information she got from Bobby, but without control over her powers, everything she got was a jigsaw puzzle - bits and pieces of information in no particular order. She did feel an anger towards Logan, but she was unsure of the source of it or what that had to do with Remy. A moan from her floor disrupted her thoughts as Bobby rolled over, bringing a hand to his head in pain.

"Was that as good for you as it was for me?" he asked weakly.

Rogue walked over to the heaped over body and promptly kicked him in the stomach.

"What the hell, Rogue?" Bobby exclaimed clutching his midsection. "I spill my heart out and your reaction is to literally kick me while I'm down?"

"You idiot!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "Ah know you're not in love with me, Bobby. Ah saw it about two seconds after Ah absorbed ya. Why on Earth did ya think that would work?"

Bobby sat up silently, cradling one hand to his stomach and the other to his throbbing head. "I… umm. Oh shit, Rogue, I guess I didn't think it through too well!" he exclaimed, thoroughly annoyed with himself and his genius, spur-of-the-moment plan. He flinched lightly when Rogue dropped down, propping herself down next to him. She brought her hands to his head and sympathetically smoothed down his hair. "Thanks… the cold feels nice," he mumbled.

She gasped slightly as she looked at her hands and realized that she had completely frozen her gloves over. "Wow. Ya can't even feel the cold, can ya?" she marveled.

"I guess not," he shrugged. "I can't remember what cold feels like really." He turned his head towards her. "Look, Rogue, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to play with your feelings and you know I really do love you. You're my best friend in the world and I just couldn't stand the thought of this mess turning you off of ever finding a happy relationship. I thought maybe I could be that for you, so that you would finally realize what you deserve, but I guess that kind of backfired."

"It's okay, Bobby. Ah know ya meant well, but Ah'm afraid this may have backfired more than ya think."

"What do you mean?"

"Lorna walked by and saw ya kissin' me," Rogue said with a cringe.

Bobby tried to mask the emotion on his face. "Why would that matter to her?"

Rogue let out an exasperated sigh. "My gawd, Bobby, Ah've tried to keep mums the word for ya both like Ah said Ah would, but you two move slower than molasses!"

"What are you talking about?"

"She likes ya, Bobby! She has for awhile now! Both of ya are just too shy to go for it. Ah've been tryin' to get ya both to ask each other out for months! It's quite frustrating!"

"Wha-? Oh my God!" Bobby cried dramatically, dropping his head back to the floor. "I AM an idiot!"

"Ah know, sugah," Rogue cooed, smoothing his head again. Her hands were starting to feel cold from her now-thawing gloves, letting her know that Bobby's powers were wearing off. "Ah guess ya should go talk to her."

"How in the world am I going to explain this one? Maybe you should talk to her instead," he suggested hopefully.

"Oh no. Ah've done enough helpin' for you two, obviously."

"I guess you're right," Bobby agreed, pushing himself off the ground and towards the door.

"Hey, Bobby?" Rogue called after him as he reached for the door, halting him.

"Yeah?"

"What happened with Wolverine?"

Bobby's eyes narrowed in concern. "What… what do you mean?"

"Did something happen with Wolverine? … and Remy?" she asked him, vulnerability etching her face.

Bobby stood, fidgeting slightly, unsure of what to say. He grabbed at her door handle, turning it, hoping for a way out. "I, umm, I don't know, Rogue, I –" the door swung suddenly open towards him. He hopped out of the way just in time, but was not able to dodge the unsuspecting Cajun that fell backwards toward him, landing roughly on top of a still-pained Bobby.


	15. Chapter 15

**Don't own, just play with!**

Remy felt the weight of the door disappear with a start. Too lost in his thoughts to catch himself, he fell backwards, landing on a body. _Merde! 'm tryin' t'get her t'forgive moi and now I've crushed her! _He hurriedly scampered to his feet, careful not to put his weight on the body below. He was surprised to look down and not see Rogue, but Bobby with a tantrum on deck.

"Seriously?" Bobby cried, once again holding his stomach and his head. "This just isn't my day," he grumbled, slowly peeling himself off the floor.

"Remy?" The sound of his name with a southern twang redirected his attention to Rogue, sitting at the foot of her bed. "What are ya still doin' here?"

"We've gotta talk, Roguey, please. Did he tell yo' about Wolverine yet?" Remy asked, with a twinge of desperation to his voice that he was certainly not fond of. Her confused look to Bobby, who was now standing beside him told him all he needed to know. He turned to the blonde boy, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Tell her, Drake! Yo' can end this! Why haven't yo' told her?"

Bobby looked nervously from Rogue to Remy, weighing the option of Rogue going back to that tool against getting his clothes turned into a kinetic bomb. He stood his ground. "I've got nothing to tell, _LeBeau_."

In one swift moment, Bobby was pinned against Rogue's wall, a bo staff, seemingly appearing from nowhere, pressed across his throat. "Tell her!" he shouted through gritted teeth.

"STOP!" Rogue yelled, rushing over to the two. "Put him down, Swamp Rat, or so help me God!"

Remy snapped out of his rage at the sound of the pet name Rogue had dubbed for him. He looked at her sheepishly before taking a step back. "Désolé, chére, I got carried away."

Her eyes burned into him like daggers before turning towards their next victim. "Bobby, ya said there wasn't anythin' with Wolverine. What aren't ya tellin' me?"

"I don't know what he's talking about, Rogue! He's probably just lying again!" he cried helplessly, half ready to shield himself from an expected blow from the Cajun.

"Robert Louis Drake! He may be some great liar, but _you're_ not!" she retorted. Remy winced at the accusation, silently hoping that she didn't mean for it to sound that way.

"You're middle naming me? Come on, Rogue! I just…" he huffed and puffed a bit, glancing hopelessly from a pissed off Rogue to a pissed off Cajun. "Fine! But you should know that the reason I didn't tell you is because I don't want you crawling back to _him_! Because you can totally do better!"

Rogue's eyes welled with tears. She forced them back as she waited for Bobby to continue. "Well?"

"Wolverine heard everything. Gambit was kicking her out when you showed up. He didn't _actually_ sleep with her," Bobby sighed, defeated.

Rogue's eyes widened. She turned her gaze towards Remy, an unnamable expression on his face. "Bobby, can ya leave Remy and Ah to talk, please."

"But, Rogue!" Bobby interjected.

"Just give us a minute, please!" Bobby reluctantly left the room to find Lorna and get beat up a third time that day.

Rogue stood silently for a few moments, staring at the man in front of her. It was hard to believe that their entire relationship had been turned so upside down in such a short time. She'd done nothing but think about what went wrong. Her flying off the handle and accusing him of something unthinkable – pretending to love her just so he could touch her. Him turning so cold – cold enough to replace her that very night. Part of her reasoned that she had no right to be angry with him at his actions. She had rejected his proclamation of love and dumped him. It was just Remy… or _any_ man, really, to find solace in a fling. Wolverine would've probably done the same if someone broke his heart. But a bigger part of her was angry. _Fuming,_ even. If he loved her so much, how was she so easily exchanged for the arms of another? She couldn't imagine herself doing that if the roles were reversed. Assuming, of course, that was even an option, which for her it never would be. Finally, she spoke up. "Ya wanna tell me what the hell is going on, Remy?" she asked quietly.

Remy reached out for her gloved hand, cringing when she flinched away before letting him take it, and led her over to sit next to him on her bed. "Chére, I don' really know how t'explain it. Nothin' I can say can excuse moi from hurtin' yo'." Remy looked into her eyes and gave a heavy sigh. _Now or never, LeBeau. De fille deserves the truth. _"I meant it, Roguey, when I said I loved yo'. I just wanted yo' t'trust moi enough t'try and take our relationship t'another level… _physically_. I was just frustrated dat every time we had a problem wit' yo' powers, yo' closed up on moi."

Rogue guiltily shifted her gaze, biting her tongue to let him continue.

"When I said I love yo', dat was real. And when yo' said I was lyin'… when yo' ended it while I was pourin' my heart out, I guess I snapped. I went t' a bar and found a _filled _dat looked kinda like yo' t'touch, _mais_ I couldn't go through wit' it. She wasn't yo', Roguey. I'm sorry. I wasn't in my right mind." Remy dared to look in her eyes, seeing that the tears had fallen over onto her flushed cheeks. He squeezed her hand, willing her to look at him.

"Ah'm sorry too, Rems. Ah shouldn't have shut ya down when ya said that. Ah was just so scared of hurtin' ya that Ah guess Ah kinda snapped too."

Remy felt elated. Not only was she finally hearing him, but she was really _listening_. He let a smirk creep onto his face as he leaned into her for a kiss, only to be stopped short by a gloved hand to his chest. His smirk fell. "Ah don't think we can be together, Remy," Rogue said, voice barely above a whisper.

"What? _Pourquoi_?"

"Because, don't ya see? We can't undo what happened! Ya need a girl ya can touch, Remy, that's obvious. Ya need a 'touchable' Rogue. Ah don't ever know if Ah'll be comfortable enough to forget that Ah could accidentally kill ya in a heated moment. Ah understand that ya need someone ya can be close with. I mean, actually _close_ with."

"_Non_, Rogue, dat's what I've been tryin' t'tell yo'! I don't want some touchable _fille_! I want yo'!"

"Maybe so. But ya _deserve_ someone that ya love that's also touchable," Rogue said, fighting to keep a sob at bay as she tried, against what her heart was screaming at her, to let go of the man she loved for his own sake.

Remy looked at her, defeated. His heart felt like it was in a losing arm wrestling match with Colossus. He couldn't believe this was happening. After all this, she was just letting him go? "Roguey, please. I can't be happy without yo'. What can I do to fix it, _chére_?"

Rogue looked up at him, forcing a smile. Her lips quivered, threatening to give her away completely. "Ya will be happy, Rems. You'll see. And we can always be friends," she said, voice breaking. Her mind and heart screamed at her. _What are ya doing? You're letting the best thing that'll ever happen to ya walk out the door? Hell, you're helpin' pack its bags!_ "We're friends."

Remy dropped her hand as if it were on fire. He looked into her eyes, disbelieving, willing her to think differently to no avail. "_Non_, _chére_," he said quietly, standing up and making his way to the door, "we'll never be friends." Remy walked out of the room, never looking back for fear of what he might do. As soon as the door clicked into place, Rogue exploded into a wave of uncontrollable sobs.

* * *

**AHHH! *ducks flying tomatoes* Don't kill me! There's still one chapter left (and possibly an epilogue) and you all know I like happy endings, right? So, please, try to leave death threats out of the review unless you absolutely have to :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**And we've finally reached the end! I don't know whether to be happy or sad - Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Oh, and your reviews from last chapter seriously cracked me up! Hopefully this makes up for it :)**

**Don't own, just play with.. Please review!**

Three weeks later Remy sat alone at a table in the dining room. He spent most of his meals alone in his room or alone in the dining room. Occasionally Ororo would try to provide him with company, but he wasn't the entertaining companion that he once was. He looked across the room at Rogue's table, as he always did. Rogue sat with her usual friends, talking and laughing as if she was the same girl she was before Remy came into her life. Remy, of course, knew this wasn't the case. He was certain that she had the rest of her friends fooled by this act, but in the short time they were together, he'd gotten to know her face better than anyone. He saw the way it dropped when she thought no one was looking, but he was always looking.

Remy hadn't touched another woman since the day Rogue broke his heart for the second time. He thought about it. He'd thought about leaving her room and going straight for Dazzler's, but that hadn't gotten him anywhere good the first time. He looked down at his gloved hands. One of his many regrets was that Rogue hadn't been the last woman he'd touched. If he hadn't picked up that girl at the bar… He knew it was a stupid thing to regret, especially compared to the other ones he had. He knew that this wouldn't have been the last time he touched a woman. Eventually he would move on, right? He just didn't have the stomach for it now. He looked across the room at Rogue again. She went out of her way not to look at him now. Though she'd offered him her friendship in her room, he knew it was bullshit. Even if he had accepted it, it wouldn't have worked. She hadn't spoken to him or so much as glanced his way since. He watched as her group of friends waved goodbye to her and moved to leave. Bobby and Lorna walked hand in hand. As much as he hated Iceboy, he was glad to see the two finally together after how much work Rogue had put into it. And, it guaranteed that Drake didn't go after Rogue. Her face fell once the group was out of sight. Her eyebrows hitched and for a moment he thought she might be fighting the urge to cry from an unknown source.

"Why yo' doin' dis, Roguey, if we're both so miserable?" he asked her to himself. He'd racked his brain at what he could say or do to break through to her. To make her believe that he didn't need touch to be with her – that she had his heart, as simple as that. He knew that when it came down to it, as long as Rogue didn't think she was worthy of love, she'd never believe he thought she was, either. His eyes followed his tormentor until she was out of the room. His stare lingered in the doorway in which she parted for a few moments more. When he turned back to the room it became apparent that people were staring at him. Watching him with pity in their eyes. When had he become this weak? He lowered his eyes away from the audience, picking up his only-slightly-eaten dinner plate and charging it, throwing it into the trash with a loud _bang_ on the way out. Might as well give those gawkers a real show. Hands balled into fists, he hurriedly made his way to his room to pack.

* * *

Rogue escaped to her room as soon as she could. It was getting harder and harder to put up this front of happiness in front of her friends. She thought that her difficulties would ease with time, but instead she found herself yearning worse. She hadn't dared even look in Remy's direction for weeks, sure that if she caught his gaze she would break into sobs. She flopped onto her bed, face buried into her pillow. The churning in the pit of her stomach hadn't stopped since that day. The kind of churning you get when you think you might've made the biggest mistake of your life. Every ounce of her being wanted to run to Remy's room and fling herself in his arms, begging for his forgiveness. But that wouldn't be fair to him, and she loved him enough to let him go. He'd be happier this way, right?

* * *

Remy's room looked like a tornado hit it, but soon enough he had all of the essentials packed into a duffel bag. He was ready to go. He sat at the edge of his bed, staring at his closed door, ready to leave. For 20 minutes. Why couldn't he get off this bed? He felt as if his legs were filled with weights and he was unable to lift them. Could he just leave her? Forever?

"Don't be an _imbécile_, she already left yo'," he cursed himself. He dropped his head into his hands. He blamed this problem on his inability to admit defeat. He was somehow holding out hope that if he proved to her that he didn't want another woman, she would come around. Apparently that wasn't the case, and without Rogue, there was no reason to stay here. He could go back to New Orleans, and drown his sorrows properly. He finally found the strength to stand, his bag in hand, and walked out of the door.

As if out of his power, he found himself walking to her room instead of out of the mansion. He hadn't been back there since he walked out for good. What was he even planning on saying to her? It was best to just leave – she wouldn't care once he was gone anyway. In his heart, he knew this was false, but there was no one in the world as stubborn as Rogue. "_Merde_," he said under his breath. "Might as well say_ au revoir_."

* * *

Rogue sat up with a start when there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" she asked, her voice raspy as she wiped her face clear of tears.

"It's me, kid, lemme in," Logan grumbled from the other side of the door.

Rogue hopped up and let the gruff man in who, at the moment, looked the most uncomfortable she'd ever seen him. "What's up, Logan?"

"Look, kid, I don't like gettin' involved in your personal life, but there's only so much I can stand," he said, making his way into the middle of her room, standing arms crossed.

"What are ya talkin' about?"

"The Cajun, Rogue. I get your mad that he tried shackin' up with some other chick, and at the time I would've liked to gut him myself, but he didn't go through with it, and frankly the depression comin' off you too is startin' to bug me!" he said in a rush, looking more uncomfortable by the moment.

"Oh, Logan, it's not – it's not the girl that made me end things with Remy," she said carefully, keeping her emotions in check. "Ah just think he needs somebody he can be close to. He pretends it doesn't bother him now, but Ah deep down it does."

"Don't ya trust me, kid?"

"Of course, Logan. What does that matter?"

"He loves you, Rogue. You're not replaceable to him by another touchable body, _obviously_. So while this 'letting him go for his own good' may seem noble in your head, you're really just hurtin' the both of you. You deserve to be happy too. There's a way to solve both of your problems."

Rogue's eyes welled against her best efforts as she looked into her friend's eyes and saw truth. She hadn't even considered that she might've been the best thing to happen to Remy like he was to her. With her mutation she'd figured that was ludicrous at best. But, maybe Logan was right. Maybe she could be loved just as she loved. "Logan, Ah –"

"Kid, please, I'm already dyin' here with the mushy stuff. I just couldn't stand to see you two carry on like this. Just fix it, alright?"

"Ah don't know if Ah can. After all Ah've put him through, Ah doubt he wants anything to do with me."

"I think you'll be surprised, Rogue," Logan said, choosing to make his exit before any more touchy feeliness revealed itself. He shut the door behind him, leaving Rogue once again alone in her room, but the air felt different to her now. Hope. The hope that maybe things could go back to how they were – or be even better. The hope that she wasn't weighing Remy down, but lifting him up and that she could be to him what he'd been to her these passed few months. Suddenly she felt stifled in that small box of a room, like she needed to run to his arms.

A hurried knock on the door broke her concentration. "Gawd, Bobby, ya got the worst timin'," she said as she opened the door, realizing as she did so that Bobby had never knocked a day in his life.

She'd barely gotten the door open before lips fell onto hers. No words had been spoken, just sweet, missed contact. The familiarity of those lips weakened her knees, but just as she lost her footing, two strong arms wrapped around her, holding her up. Thoughts began to flood her mind, but they were not unwelcome. They were confirmation of what Logan had told her. Validation that they were supposed to be together, against all odds. She felt his heart break, first at her rejection of his professed love, a discovery that had happened long before he spoke it, and then ever since. A deep aching that seemed to grow worse by the day. She felt his love which matched her own, something she hadn't realized was possible. She felt his hopelessness, and wanted to kick herself for her stupidity. In her quest to do what was best for him, she'd hurt them both more than they'd ever imagined. Then, the feeling of hope poured into her. A risky kiss that might be paying off with the grand prize.

* * *

Remy concentrated energy to his lips with all his might. If this was going to be their last kiss, he was damned sure he would make it last as long as possible, even if she was kicking and screaming. He soon came to realize that she _wasn't_ kicking and screaming at all. She was kissing him back with the passion of a woman whose love had just returned from a periled journey. She was kissing him back? The hope in his heart swelled, momentarily taking his mind off of his lips. The darkness began to overtake him, suddenly wondering if this had anything to do with the gruff "you're welcome" that the Wolverine had given him in passing on the way up. Before he could ponder it further, his world went black.

When Remy stirred, he noted that the material under him was soft. He flashed back to the night when Rogue had carried him to her room when he'd passed out in the Danger Room from overexertion. He was reluctant to open his eyes, certain that this was part of a dream, and when he woke up alone his world would come crashing down around him. His hopes raised when he felt a gloved hand caress his face. When his pillow shifted slightly, he realized it was a lap, and not a pillow at all. It felt like home.

"Remy?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

"_Ch__ére?_" he asked, cautiously opening one eye. Above him she sat, his head in her lap, fingers stroking his hair. She looked down upon him with tear filled eyes.

"Ya have a bag?" she asked, voice breaking.

Remy searched his brain for a moment before remembering his hasty decision to leave. It seemed so preposterous now that he was in her arms. Seeing the tears begin to spill onto her cheeks, he sat up next to her, ignoring the slight throbbing in his head. "_Non, chére, désolé_," he said, cupping her face in his hands and wiping the tears with a gloved finger. "'m not goin' anywhere, Rogue. Not if you'll give me a chance t'stay."

Rogue pulled back from him slightly, bewildered. "You're sorry, Remy? What on earth have ya got to be sorry about? Ah'm the one that… that…" her voice hitched into a sob and Remy shushed her gently.

"We both done some stupid stuff, Roguey. Yo' t'ink maybe we call it even?" he asked, daring to place a trademark smirk on his face.

"Ah love ya, Remy. Ah hope ya know that. Ah've loved ya for a long time," she finally confessed.

Remy's smirk widened to a grin at hearing those words for the first time. He pulled her in for a tight embrace, unwilling to let go in fear that this moment would turn out to be a hallucination. "After all dis time, I feel like dis can't really be happenin'," he said, needing someone to pinch him.

"Oh God! I knew it!" Reality crashed down from the hallway in the form of Bobby Drake, holding fast to a grinning Lorna.

"Hmmm, guess dis is real. Da moment's been ruined and you're still here, _chére_," Remy said, still unable to wipe the grin from his face. The couple pulled back slightly to acknowledge their unwelcome visitors.

"I knew you'd go back to him," Bobby said, his voice void of the anger it had carried weeks ago.

"Shut up, Bobby, at least now we have someone to double date with," Lorna said, giving him a rough nudge.

"I would rather double date with the Professor himself, Lorna. Seriously, that would be more comfortable," Bobby quipped, a smile starting to grow on his lips.

Remy didn't even look his way, lost in the emerald eyes he'd thought he'd lost for good. "I missed yo' too, Iceboy." With that, he'd tired of the company and, although still lightheaded, began to kiss Rogue again.

Bobby and Lorna rolled their eyes and walked away, Lorna slyly pulling Rogue's door closed behind them despite a gagging look from Bobby.

Inside, Rogue kissed Remy back with equaled passion shortly before pulling away. "Remy, ya just regained consciousness. Ah don't know if we can be doin' this just yet. Things with touch are still gonna be… complicated."

Remy looked back at her, satisfied at just being in her presence again. "I know, Roguey, _mais_ we'll figure it out together, _mon amour_, I promise."

His promise felt much bigger than just a kiss, and for once Rogue's hope outweighed her fear for what's to come.


End file.
